The explosion and fire on the piper alpha platform 45 hour 6hour north figure 4. It accounted for around 10 percent of the total oil production at the time. The conference will be addressed by lord cullen, who chaired the month public enquiry that resulted in over 100 safety recommendations which made history for health and safety in the north sea. Cullen noted many deficiencies in the permit to work system on piper alpha, including the lack of any consistent practice of physically lockingoff isolated equipment, and the. Piper alpha rewrites the rules on offshore safety new scientist.
The author headed the public inquiry into this disaster. The cullen report was a public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster which resulted in 106 recommendations for policy changes in the uk oil and gas industry. Importance learning from major incident piper alpha disaster 1 comment i t is vital that lessons are learned from all major incidents, as management, cultural and technical failure i. Greatly since the piper alpha disaster but largescale tests in a mock up offshore module revealed. Parkinson, the present secretary of state for transport, set up the public inquiry on. Pdf the british offshore oil industry after piper alpha. Public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster the lord cullen report. Ic chapter 10 show that the bodies of of the 165 personnel piper lnhc died as a result of th disaster were later recovered. One hundred and sixty seven people died in the piper alpha fire on 6 july 1988, making it the worlds worst offshore oil disaster. Hero diver fled to australia to escape his piper alpha hell. It was connected by an oil pipeline to flotta and by gas pipelines to two other installations. On the night of 67 july 1988 a major oil production platform known as piper alpha in the uk sector of the north sea was destroyed by explosion and fire, with the loss of 167 lives. Piper alpha disaster prompted drastically improved safety. Wikipedia, 2010 also see the moving bbc documentary of 1989 spiral into disaster.
Sweeping changes needed in the way that safety in the offshore industry is assessed. Jul 04, 20 on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the piper alpha disaster, a north sea oil and gas insider claims safety measures are made a mockery by management bullying. So other platforms continued production and pumping of gas for sometime which supplied additional fuel to the fire at piper. Jul 02, 20 an inquiry into the disaster was critical of piper alphas operator, occidental, which was found guilty of having inadequate maintenance and safety procedures. Volume 1 is very good plus with shelfwear and bumped corners. This report in two volumes is the final report on the public inquiry into the piper alpha platform disaster in the north sea by a parliamentary commission under lord cullen.
The stateoftheart of knowledge at time of piper alpha in. The piper alpha disaster, which remains the worst offshore accident to date, drew the attention of the offshore industry and the regulators to the damage that could arise in the event of an explosion and fire on an offshore platform and triggered many changes that shaped the current offshore regulatory and operating environment. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster by william douglas cullen, lord cullen of whitekirk, 1990, hmso edition, in english. On july 6, 1988, the piper alpha oil platform experienced a series of 10 catastrophic explosions and fires. Pdf in 1998, the explosion of the piper alpha platform claimed 167. On 6 july 1988, there was a massive leakage of gas condensate on piper alpha, which was ignited causing an explosion which led to large oil fires. Buy the public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster by lord cullen from waterstones today. Piper alpha was the largest platform by production in the world in its era 317,000 barrelsday, peak.
The investigation into the piper alpha disaster has much to teach us thirty years on. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster journal. This is the conclusion of the cullen report into the explosion on the oil rig piper alpha that killed 167 men. The change in safety management for offshore oil and gas. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster journal article. John rowley, chief executive of atlas, a ukbased training company for the oil and gas sector, said the industry was now among the safest in the country. Speaker, i would like to make a statement about the report of the public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster. We also use cookies to collect information about how you use hse. Department of energy the public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster chairman the hon lord cullen vol. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster command. Jul 04, 20 e ven 25 years on, charles haffeys most powerful memory of the piper alpha disaster was the overwhelming, deafening noise.
In november 1988, a public inquiry, led by lord william cullen, was initiated to. It began production in 1976, but on july 6, 1988 it. In his 800 page inquiry into the piper alpha disaster, lord cullen. Hon lord cullenthe public enquiry into the piper alpha disaster. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster william. In the boom of the 70s and early 80s, piper was the worlds most productive. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster w. About piper alpha placed at north sea, the platform began production in 1976, first as an oil platform and then later converted to gas oil production started in 1976 with about 250,000 barrels 40,000 m3 of oil per day increasing to 300,000 barrels 48,000 m3 a gas recovery module.
In the boom of the 70s and early 80s, piper was the. Twentyfive years ago the piper alpha disaster changed the oil and gas landscape but have the safety lessons been learnt. This paper examines the following aspects of offshore safety in oil and gas production systems before and after the piper alpha disaster. Piper alpha was no accident, it was a disaster waiting to happen. To determine the cause, the british government established a commission of inquiry. The piper alpha incident is still regarded as the worst offshore oil disaster in the history of the uk. The vast inferno created by simultaneous eruptions from ruptured gas and. Jun 22, 2011 the public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster by william douglas cullen, lord cullen of whitekirk, 1990, hmso edition, in english.
It is 25 years since tragedy struck in the north sea. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster command paper this book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. Piper alpha was a large north sea oil platform that started production in 1976. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster in. While this 5 summary has been condensed and paraphrased, it is believed to been consistent with the facts and conclusions outlined in the cullen report. About piper alpha placed at north sea, the platform began production in 1976, first as an oil platform and then later converted to gas oil production started in 1976 with about 250,000 barrels 40,000 m3 of oil per day increasing to 300,000 barrels 48,000 m3 a gas recovery m. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster two volume. It began production in 1976, initially as an oilonly platform but later converted to add gas production. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster two volume set cullen, w. On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the piper alpha disaster, a north sea oil and gas insider claims safety measures are made a mockery by management bullying. Jul 15, 20 twentyfive years ago the piper alpha disaster changed the oil and gas landscape but have the safety lessons been learnt. Importance learning from major incident piper alpha disaster. The crew worked to resolve the issue before platform production was affected. In 1990 this commission came with the famous cullen report.
Piper alpha was an oil production platform in the north sea approximately 120 miles 190 km. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster nottingham. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster volume two by cullen, w. E ven 25 years on, charles haffeys most powerful memory of the piper alpha disaster was the overwhelming, deafening noise. The explosion and fire on the piper alpha platform, 6 july. Copyright jim thomson 20 safety in engineering ltd piper. Piper alpha disaster anniversary of tragedy in the north sea, john konrad, 2011 in the evening of 6th july 1988, a series of catastrophic explosion occurred on piper alpha offshore platform. This produced a further massive explosion and fireball that engulfed the piper alpha platform. Friend and predecessor, the member for hertsmere mr. Douglas and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Most of the physical evidence sank to the bottom of the north sea, so the testimony of survivors and witnesses had to be woven together into a coherent story.
Nov 03, 2011 this report in two volumes is the final report on the public inquiry into the piper alpha platform disaster in the north sea by a parliamentary commission under lord cullen. An explosion on the piper alpha platform occurred in july 1988. The recommendations covered the regulatory system, prevention and mitigation measures, and evacuation, escape, and rescue. Piper alpha re ceived and sent to the shore the oil and gas production of a group of platforms. 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. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster by lord. Piper alpha disaster on an oil and gas platform in the. Piper alpha rewrites the rules on offshore safety new. Piper alpha disaster on an oil and gas platform in the north sea, july 1988 background what happened a series of explosions and an oil fed fire on the piper alpha oil and gas platform in the north sea on 6th july 1988, 120 miles northeast of aberdeen, killed 167 men. Buy the public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster command paper by cullen, lord isbn. May 25, 2014 importance learning from major incident piper alpha disaster 1 comment i t is vital that lessons are learned from all major incidents, as management, cultural and technical failure i. Apr 09, 2015 a key witness at the cullen inquiry, ed said. An explosion and resulting oil and gas fires destroyed piper alpha on 6 july. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster, volume 2 volume 10 of cm series great britain.
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. Alpha, as well as two of its guideline documents readily available to. The heat ruptured the riser of a gas pipeline from another installation. Professionalismpiper alpha oil rig disaster wikibooks.
The accident killed 165 out of 226 crew members and two crew members from the standby vessel sandhaven. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. Publication date 1990 series command papers note at head of title. Hero diver fled to australia to escape his piper alpha. Piper alpha was an oil production platform in the north sea operated by occidental petroleum caledonia limited. The worst disaster in the history of offshore many years before macondo, there was a much more deadly disaster offshore in the north sea. Piper alpha survivors recall disaster 25 years on business.
The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster 1990. Stationery office, 1990 drilling platforms 488 pages. Piper alpha 25 years on have we learned the lessons. A search was made through the documents to determine whether. Piper alpha platform, north sea offshore technology oil. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster 2 volume set by cullen, w.
Complete 2 volume set of oversized trade paperbacks. An inquiry into the disaster was critical of piper alphas operator, occidental, which was found guilty of having inadequate maintenance and safety procedures. An explosion and resulting oil and gas fires destroyed piper alpha on 6 july 1988, killing 167. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster, volume 2 william douglas cullen lord. Copyright jim thomson 20 safety in engineering ltd piper alpha. Learning from the piper alpha accident semantic scholar.
Pa images brings you snapshots of the days leading news, showbiz and sport pictures alongside an archive dating back to 1863. It produced oil from 24 wells and in its early life it had also produced gas from two wells. 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. It was connected by an oil pipeline to flotta and by. Piper alpha disaster prompted drastically improved safety measures in the oil industry, say experts. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster cm. It began production in 1976, but on july 6, 1988 it was the site of the worlds. It outlines the findings of the investigation in vol. A public inquiry, undertaken by lord cullen at the request of. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster, volume 1.
As shifts changed and the night crew aboard piper alpha assumed duties for the evening, one of the platforms two condensate pumps failed. As shifts changed and the night crew aboard piper alpha. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. The change in safety management for offshore oil and gas production systems. As a result he recommends that the safety regulations with regard to offshore operations. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Pdf preventable disasters in the offshore oil industry. This led to the appointment of lord cullen, a senior scottish judge, to hold a public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster. Volume 2 is very good minus with shelfwer, bumped corners and some creasing to the back cover. Buy the public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster. Parliament the public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster, great britain. The disaster began with poor routine maintenance procedure. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster two.
Piper alpha is an offshore oil and gas platform that suffered an explosion. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster two volume set. It was built in the north sea by a consortium run by occidental and dr. The public inquiry into the piper alpha disaster lord w. 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. The piper alpha disaster, also known as the worst offshore disaster to happen in history occurred 30 years ago in 1988.
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