Decommissioning NORM Management for BW Offshore

Overview

The FPSO Berge Helene, a floating storage/production unit built in France in 1976 and converted in Singapore in 2005, required comprehensive radiation protection services during its decommissioning phase. This case study explores how Lucion’s expert Radiation Protection Team managed Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) contamination to ensure safe disposal at ISO Priya Blue shipyard in India.

Challenges  

The project presented several significant challenges that required careful consideration and strategic planning. The scope complexity encompassed extensive NORM decontamination requirements across process and cargo systems, with the large-scale vessel requiring comprehensive radiological surveys across multiple systems and equipment. Safety requirements presented another crucial challenge, with the critical need for thorough NORM decontamination to protect workers, while ensuring strict compliance with international regulations and standards, and maintaining complex radiation protection protocols.

Operational demands further complicated the project, requiring continuous monitoring, adherence to time-sensitive decommissioning schedules, and the need to balance efficient processes with thorough decontamination procedures. 

Solution  

To address these challenges, our comprehensive approach integrated multiple levels of radiation protection expertise and monitoring. A dedicated team of Radiation Protection Advisers (RPAs) and Supervisors (RPSs) maintained a continuous onboard presence, providing constant verification of NORM cleaning activities.  

The technical implementation centred around the strategic deployment of T407 contamination monitors and probes, enabling systematic monitoring of pipework, tanks, vessels, and associated equipment until background radiation levels were achieved. Our compliance management strategy incorporated regular radiation compliance audits, ensuring detailed assessment of regulatory conformance, while also providing valuable one-to-one coaching for on-site Radiation Protection Supervisors.  

Client Benefit

The implementation of our comprehensive radiation protection services yielded significant positive outcomes across multiple areas. In terms of safety assurance, we achieved successful reduction of NORM to background levels while protecting worker safety throughout the decommissioning process and ensuring full environmental compliance. 

The project’s success was marked by meeting all Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), achieving successful disconnection and demobilisation, and completing the decommissioning phase within the planned timeline. Long-term value was created through enhanced radiation protection protocols, improved safety awareness across the team, and the establishment of best practices that could be applied to future projects.