Effects of Sea Motion on the Crew of the Petro Canada Terra Nova FPSO (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading) Vessel

Current oil and gas exploration requirements to exploit resources in both deep and shallow water have changed the method of oil extraction. Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels are increasingly being used to operate in deep water where the operating environment can be very extreme. The Terra Nova FPSO vessel is the first of its kind built for operations on the Grand Banks in Newfoundland at the Terra Nova field and is the first to operate in Canadian waters. The crew on this vessel must often work under extreme weather conditions, in shifts throughout the day and night for up to three weeks at a time, or even longer if the weather prevents crew changes. Seasickness and its after-effects, motion-induced fatigue and motion-induced interruptions are a potential problem for the safety and health of crewmembers at sea. Understanding the incidence, severity and the effects of seasickness on performance can improve effective scheduling, task assignment, and reduce the likelihood of personal injury both on- and off-duty. In extreme circumstances, this understanding may prevent major injury, loss of life and even loss of the FPSO itself. The previous questionnairebased survey (Cheung, Brooks & Hofer 2002) results revealed that crew complained of a variety of problems including sleep disturbance, task completion, task performance, loss-of concentration, decision-making and memory disorders. These problems were correlated with increasing ship motion, however, in the previous study, the ship motion data were obtained indirectly through the radio operator from the FPSO Offshore Installation. The original document contains color images. Text in English; summaries in English and French.