Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies
The sea is one of our most important resources, and our main goal at NOFO is to keep the sea as clean as possible. All the effort we put into making our oil spill preparedness methods as efficient and thorough as possible is “for the sake of the sea”.
In the event of an oil spill, our task is to limit the extent of the damage as much as possible. We are a preparedness organization that aims to meet our members’ needs for effective and robust oil spill preparedness.
We take pride in the fact that no oil from Norwegian oil activities has ever reached the shoreline. Nevertheless, NOFO has become a model for other countries’ oil spill preparedness.
This is NOFO
- A head office in Sandnes and a office in Hammerfest
- NOFO raises the level of expertise and competence in oil spill preparedness through training, consultancy, and technological development
- NOFO seeks to strengthen local environmental efforts and oil spill
preparedness by means of active collaboration with Inter-Municipal
Committees against Acute Pollution (IUAs) and is part of the national
preparedness model, which brings together oil spill response resources in the public and private sectors. - NOFO continuously improves oil spill preparedness by developing and
implementing new technology.
Responsibility in the event of spills
The operating companies bear responsibility for activities onboard the platform and within the well. NOFO assumes responsibility if oil spills from offshore installations reach the surface of the sea.
Ship-related incidents fall within the purview of the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA). However, NOFO frequently offers assistance in such cases, maintaining close and effective collaboration with the NCA and other entities involved in municipal and private-sector oil spill response.
Our Members are the Operating Companies:
NOFO operates on behalf of the operating companies, serving as a mechanism to share the costs of oil spill preparedness. Membership with NOFO ensures robust and effective oil spill preparedness, providing the operating companies with the assurance that, in the event of an oil spill, they will be met with highly competent staff, efficient handling, and optimal resources.
More than 150 Drills for Equipment and Staff Every Year:
NOFO conducts well over 150 drills for equipment annually, involving oil spill response vessels, tugs, and equipment in various exercises with subsequent verification. These drills offer spill site managers, equipment operators, and maritime crews valuable training in utilizing NOFO’s equipment. Collaborative drills are also carried out in conjunction with oil companies, as well as national, municipal, and private-sector partners.
NOFO organizes approximately 60 courses annually for those operating the equipment, with over 1000 participants covering all aspects of oil spill preparedness. This ensures NOFO maintains the required competence throughout the organization.
Oil on Water:
Norway stands among the few countries permitting controlled oil releases into the sea for equipment and procedure testing. This practice is crucial for advancing NOFO's oil spill response equipment.
These drills have garnered significant interest and contributed to countries like the USA, Canada, Japan, Brazil, and Russia acquiring equipment equivalent to NOFO.
Founding of NOFO after the Bravo Accident in 1978:
NOFO's establishment in 1978 directly followed the Bravo blowout on the Ekofisk field in the North Sea in 1977. This incident prompted a substantial commitment to developing Norway's oil spill response technology, including the creation of the first skimmer and a novel oil boom.
New generations of sea-going oil spill response equipment were subsequently developed and delivered in the 1980s and 90s.
Much has happened since then, and NOFO is now at the forefront of preparedness, training, and technological developments in oil spill preparedness work.