* TV news of the Piper Alpha Disaster, North Sea, Scotland, 1988 167 oilmen lost in disaster (RIP) Brian Simpson Alba Oil and Gas Community! www.albaoil.com AlbaFireFifgters (AFF) http AlbaOil on Twitter twitter.com *
Video Rating: 5 / 5
RIP Credit BBC. Piper Alpha was a North Sea oil production platform operated by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd. The platform began production in 1976, first as an oil platform and then later converted to gas production. An explosion and resulting fire destroyed it on July 6, 1988, killing 167 men, with only 59 survivors. The death toll includes 2 crewmen of a rescue vessel. Total insured loss was about £1.7 billion (US$ 3.4 billion). To date it is the world’s worst offshore oil disaster in terms both of lives lost and impact to industry. At the time of the disaster the platform accounted for around 10% of the oil and gas production from the North Sea. 9:55 pm Condensate (LPG) Pump A was switched on. Gas flowed into the pump, and because of the missing safety valve, produced an overpressure which the loosely fitted metal disc did not withstand. Gas audibly leaked out at high pressure, drawing the attention of several men and triggering six gas alarms including the high level gas alarm, but before anyone could act, the gas ignited and exploded, blowing through the firewall made up of 2.5 x 1.5 metre panels bolted together, which were not designed to withstand explosions. The custodian pressed the emergency stop button, closing huge valves in the sea lines and ceasing all oil and gas production. Theoretically, the platform would be then have been isolated from the flow of oil and gas and the fire relatively contained. However, because the platform was originally built …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
