With this "travel blog," we aim to showcase the activities of SAR at all the locations scattered along the coast, from Hammerfest in the north to Stavanger in the south. Our journey will also highlight the benefits of the strong collaboration between our departments when assisting our customers in creating value from their waste in the best possible way. Here is part 7 of this series.
Risavika is an offshore base part of Risavika Port, located in Sola municipality. Sola Municipality is known for its proximity to Stavanger and the city's historic and present ties to the energy industry. Risavika is considered one of Norway's largest supply bases for offshore installations in Southern Norway. The landscape around Risavika is characterized by its maritime features, with islands and skerries. Typical western Norwegian nature and climate prevail in the landscape around Risavika. In addition to SAR, several industrial and logistics companies have established themselves here.
In this article, you will gain insight into the daily lives of employees at this facility and their significant contributions to the industry, customers, society, and, most importantly, our core area of "turning waste to value.”
SAR Treatment's Role in Turning Waste into Value
SAR Treatment Risavika is one of the four SAR treatment facilities for oil-based drill cuttings from offshore drilling operations. It is strategically located close to the sea, allowing easy access for transportation and delivery of drilling waste from various operator companies in the North Sea.
Christer Engstrøm, in close collaboration with operations manager Kjell Joar Røstad, leads the department. SAR has established itself as a central player in environmentally friendly waste management in Risavika. Annually, as much as 35,000 tons of valuable drill cuttings are processed at this facility.
Through careful planning, close collaboration, and strict safety procedures, the work is carried out responsibly.
Picture: Department manager Christer Engstrøm in a familiar posture.
Logistics coordinator Tom Henning Tollefsen and CSO Christine Lervik Palm are eager listeners.
Knowledge, Experience, and Dedication as Drivers for Success
SAR Treatment Risavika operates with a dedicated team of experienced operators, coordinators, and quality controllers, all committed to bringing collaboration and process flow into harmony to ensure smooth operations. With a diversity of nationalities and skills, this creates a dynamic work environment that promotes innovation and efficiency.
Department manager Christer Engstrøm has solid experience as a former sea captain and platform manager, which is a significant advantage. He possesses valuable insights and knowledge beneficial to all at the facility. Under his leadership, we have great confidence that the facility will continue to develop positively. Operations manager Kjell J. Røstad, with his background in both the oil industry and the military, also brings valuable qualities to ensure effective routines and progress.
At the heart of the department is a team of professionals consisting of 16 different operators, as well as maintenance coordinators, logistics coordinators, and quality controllers. In addition to these, we currently have four skilled apprentices with us, of whom we are very proud. Together with the apprentices, we have an age range of 18-60 years, representing nine different nationalities! Diversity in age and background creates a diverse work environment with various perspectives, experiences, and ideas.
This also promotes inclusion and contributes to a rich culture in the workplace. Not to mention the advantage of a good mix of fresh insights from the younger generation and experience and in-depth knowledge from the older generation. We all tackle challenges head-on with the goal of delivering the most sustainable and environmentally friendly treatment on behalf of our customers and partners.
Minduagas Grauslys and Jone Gjersdal are ready to carry out cleaning of the facility after a brief maintenance stop. Cleaning and maintenance are highly prioritized and are a significant part of everyday life at Risavika.
Availability, Speed, and Capacity
Good plans and process flow are important for us to provide good service to our customers in terms of deadlines, turnaround speed, and capacity. We have operational activities 24/7, 365 days a year here at Risavika Treatment! This means that we have employees on multiple shifts, around the clock, with exciting challenges and responsibilities. We are like a big family with our own lifestyle. We are grateful to have a good team with high professionalism and professional pride. This is reflected in our results and the development up to where we are now. We take care of each other, motivate each other, and develop together, maintaining a good culture and a good working environment. Each one of us has an important role for our customers, for SAR, for each other, and for the environment.
«We follow offshore standards. Everyone is qualified to do the job they are assigned to perform. Courses and training are closely followed up and documented in a separate training portal. We have a good health policy and close dialogue among employees to create good and safe health conditions.» - Kjell Joar Røstad, operations manager
During the daytime, there is both hectic and eventful activities taking place in the administration, while production is equally busy around the clock, seven days a week. There is a lot of logistics to be handled, and in 2023, we received as much as 4540 cargo carriers of drill cuttings, which were processed and returned to the customer!
Picture: Apprentice Luana Ybero studying the process from the control room.
| Drill cuttings are crushed rock masses from sediments that are transported with drilling mud from the borehole. It usually has an unpredictable mixture with many components, including soil, clay, stone, humus, crude oil, seawater, base oil, and additives. |
Technology and Collaboration Create Value
We use a separation technology developed to separate the various components in the drill cuttings from where oil-based mud is used in the drilling operation. We have two process plants called TCCs (Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaners). TCC Risavika processes these drill cuttings through two machines to crush the mass in so-called "mills", and at high temperatures, condenses and extracts all liquids and separates them. We then extract fractions such as dry solids, process water, and oil. The oil we extract is of such good quality that SAR has developed it into an approved product which we resell (CapOil).
The dry substance remaining as the final product is clean enough to be sent to landfills. Continuous efforts are being made to find viable and sustainable solutions for this product as well. The water from the treatment process is pumped onto a ships and transported for further treatment at our water treatment plant at Mongstad.
The extracted oil is sent by sea to the buyer. This must be considered recycling in practice!! It is, therefore, an advanced technology used, and the goal is to preserve the valuable components such as oil and dry substance. Good and close collaboration with the other SAR departments is also necessary to achieve good results when converting waste into value in an efficient, innovative, and sustainable way.
Picture: Department manager Christer Engstrøm and operations manager Kjell Joar Røstad in close dialogue with our CEO Tor Olav Schibevaag.
Through continuous innovation, dedication to environmental protection, and a strong focus on collaboration, SAR Treatment Risavika continues to be a pioneer in environmentally friendly waste management. With a skilled team and a clear goal of working towards a greener and safer future, SAR Treatment Risavika is well-equipped to meet future challenges.
The previous stop on our journey was SAR Mongstad. The next, and last stop on our journey is Tananger, so sign up for our newsletter to catch our entire journey.
