Abstract
This paper describes the difficulties of complying with standards and certifications related to vessel stimulation operations in the North Sea. Certification is required not only for the vessel itself, but for the mobile equipment, such as high-pressure surface manifold equipment and lifting appliances. In addition, regulations require that all workers on the vessel meet certain training and health requirements. This paper will summarize the statutory requirements of the four North Sea sectors and provide an actual scenario where compliance to one country's standards did not meet the requirements of another.
This paper will also discuss how operating companies and third-party certification companies often interpret standards differently, resulting in major discrepancies, as well as unnecessary time and expense. By eliminating prescriptive regulations and implementing manufacturer's recommendations, service companies could standardize requirements, which would simplify the current confusion concerning certification for North Sea activities.
