Pdf preventable disasters in the offshore oil industry. These findings underscore existing design and testing limitations of blowout preventers that might otherwise remain undetected. Summary after litigation originating in edinburgh and spanning nine years, the house of lords decision in february this year confirmed an insurers right to seek an indemnity in its insureds name. Failure to correctly record and communicate the current operational status was a causal factor of another more recent disaster in the gas and oil industry, the 2005 buncefield explosion. Pdf the british offshore oil industry after piper alpha. Lord cullens inquiry into the piper alpha disaster set forth 106 recommendations aimed at lifting. At 10 oclock that night 62 men were working, and 164 men were off duty.
Piper alpha proved spectacularly productive and when the operator, occidental, sought permission to increase rates, permission was granted on condition that gas should also be exported instead of being flared. Piper alpha was an oil production platform in the north sea approximately 120 miles 190 km. Piper alpha that killed 167 workers in the worlds deadliest offshore oil industry disaster. For example, prior to the disaster, auditing on piper alpha often identified some of risks that contributed to the explosion but instead of the audit findings being analysed and evaluated two elements in the process outlined in the iso 3, they were ignored. They serve to take the industry out of their comfort zones and improve their processes. Roger vielvoye international editor wide ranging changes in u. Piper alpha the house of lords landmark decision gard. The first cullen report was prompted by occidental petroleums piper alpha disaster on 6 july 1988, in which gas condensate ignited, killing 167 of the 229 people on board the oil platform in only 22 minutes dunblane. A look into the piper alpha disaster highlighting ethical issues. Summary the investigation into the piper alpha disaster has much to teach us thirty years on. Piper alpha timeline of the incident timeline incident. Learning from the piper alpha accident the offshore platform piper alpha, which was lo cated in the british sector of the north sea oil field and operated by occidental petroleum, was engulfed in a catastrophic fire on july 6, 1988. Kp3 reporta 3year investigation into the safety and integrity of over 100 offshore. Piper alpha presentation free download as powerpoint presentation.
Piper alpha and the cullen report oxford academic journals. It produced oil from 24 wells and in its early life. Then, identify the causes and consequences from all occurred effects of the accident. Twentyfive years ago the piper alpha disaster changed the oil and gas landscape but have the safety lessons been learnt. Onshore, following the robens report into safety and health at work. It took less than 20 years for a critical lesson from piper alpha to be forgotten. Piper alpha atform from the,xlpha forll the all pi. During the late 70s, major works were carried out to enable the platform to meet uk government gas export requirements and after this work had been completed, piper alpha was operating in what was known as phase 2 mode operating with the gas conservation module gcm since the end of 1980 up until july 1988. The piper alpha a large fixed platform was located in the piper field in north sea, some 110 miles northeast of aberdeen. Piper alpha cullen report hansard, 7 march 1991 search help. Download adobe acrobat or click here to download the pdf file.
Landmark piper alpha cullen report now free to download news. Piper alpha re ceived and sent to the shore the oil and gas production of a group of platforms. This article compares two industrial disasters in the offshore oil industry, the explosion and fire on piper alpha off the coast of scotland in 1988, the worlds worst offshore disaster, and the. An explosion and resulting oil and gas fires destroyed piper alpha on 6 july 1988, killing 167. It utilizes a case study of the tragic event of the explosion and fire at the piper alpha oil platform in the north sea. Just a sample of presentation format for piper alpha disaster cause which may help u in preparation for something like this in the future. Pdf in 1998, the explosion of the piper alpha platform claimed 167. Piper alpha was an oil production platform in the north sea approximately 120 miles 190 km northeast of aberdeen, scotland, that was operated by occidental petroleum caledonia limited. The disaster of piper alpha occurred on 6th july 1988 caused by a gas leak and pumps failure which killed 167 people including two people from the rescue vessel and lost around 3. Constructed for oil collection by mcdermott engineering and operated by occidental group, piper alpha was located 120 miles northeast of aberdeen, scotland.
The incident that changed the whole industry piper alphawas anorth sea oil platform operated by occidental petroleumwhich began production in 1976 as an oil platform which later was converted to gas production an explosion and the resulting fires destroyed the entire platform on 6 th of july 1988, killing 167 workers the total insured loss of the platform was approximately 1. Two years later lord cullens report into the disaster severely criticised safety procedures on the rig owned by. Landmark piper alpha cullen report now free to download. The accident that occurred on board the offshore platform piper alpha in july 1988 killed 167. On the night of 6 july 1988 there were 226 men on the piper alpha platform, where they earned their living. In 1996, lord cullen led the inquiry into the massacre at dunblane primary school ladbroke grove. Outline about piper alpha platform the happening event timeline cause of the disaster effect of the disaster key failures improvement and prevention conclusion 2. The piper alpha disaster which killed 167 workers on 6 july 1988 off the coast of aberdeen is the worldsdeadliest ever oil rig accident. Use bow tie tool for easy hazard identification presented at 14 th asia pacific confederation of chemical engineering congress singapore, 2124 february 2012 syed zaiful hamzah principal risk consultant abs consulting singapore. Piper alpha presentation safety emergency incident. Lord cullen made 106 recommendations within his report, all of which were.
It provides the basis of discussion, analysis and training in a variety of ohs areas, including risk assessment, permit to work, emergency procedures, safety design and more. It began production in 1976, initially as an oilonly platform but later converted to add gas production. Piper alpha was a large fixed structure platform located about 120 miles north east of aberdeen. Accident investigation 2 executive summary accidents are usually caused by a combination of factors like human error, management failings, omissions and neglect. Piper alpha was a large north sea oil platform that started production in 1976. Preventing piper alpha and iso 3 nicholas and smith. The operating companies cite the o5 billion targeted for improvements in safety since piper alpha for example, brandie, 19945, and the apparent success of the post piper alpha safety committee. Lord cullen, author of the report on the piper alpha disaster, changed the face of offshore safety. Learning from the piper alpha accident semantic scholar. As is well documented, this disaster took place aboard the north sea oil platform, piper. The inquiry commenced with a preliminary hearing in aberdeen on 11 november 1988 and lord cullens report was presented to the secretary of state on the 19 october 1990. Macondo investigation report overview june 5, 2014 of testing data of the blowout preventer, which was not available at the time of previously published reports on the incident.
The 1990 report of the uk public inquiry under lord cullen qc into the causes. We also use cookies to collect information about how you use hse. Piper alpha and the cullen report industrial law journal. E ven 25 years on, charles haffeys most powerful memory of the piper alpha disaster was the overwhelming, deafening noise. Alpha, on the evening of july 6 1988 claiming the lives of 165 of the 226. Piper alpha 25 years on have we learned the lessons. References weekend aberdeen, nov 27, 20, youtube, retrieved from.
It produced oil from 24 wells and in its early life it had also produced gas from two wells. Piper aircraft general aviation aircraft manufacturer. Lecture by brian appleton technical adviser to the enquiry on piper alpha accident. This series contains the records of the public inquiry, chaired by the hon lord cullen between 11 november 1988 and 15 february 1990, into the accident on the piper alpha offshore drilling platform. Case study presentation on piper al pha and san juanico incident conference on chemical industrial disaster management cidm c.
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