Regulation No. 158 on Health, Safety and Environment in the Petroleum Activities and at Certain Onshore Facilities.

This Regulation, issued by the Ministry of Energy, lays out the fundamental principles and obligations to ensure health, safety, and environmental (HSE) standards in the petroleum sector. It mandates that activities must be conducted responsibly, ensuring a high and continuously improving level of HSE. Risk must be reduced as much as possible, prioritizing technical, operational, or organizational solutions that offer the best outcome in relation to potential harm. Operators must ensure their organizational structure supports regulatory compliance, and that all workers are properly qualified. There is also a requirement to foster a safety culture and allow worker participation, including through safety representatives.
The Regulation requires that operators implement robust HSE management systems and verify compliance through documentation and assessments. Verifications must be methodical, independent, and based on a clear program. Cooperation between operators and public authorities is essential, especially regarding emergency preparedness. Operators must maintain adequate health services offshore, communicate in Norwegian where feasible, and make safety documentation available to authorities. Overall, the framework places responsibility on operators, employers, and other participants to work collaboratively in creating a safe and environmentally responsible petroleum industry.
The Regulation requires that environmental protection be an integral part of petroleum activities, mandating that operations be planned and carried out in a way that prevents or minimizes harm to the environment. Risk to the environment must be continuously reduced as far as reasonably practicable, and harmful factors must be replaced with less hazardous alternatives. While some specific environmental provisions apply only offshore, operators are generally obliged to ensure that environmental considerations are addressed through effective management systems, emergency preparedness, and by coordinating with relevant authorities and neighboring facilities when needed.