2: RESEARCH &
PRESENTATION
ASSIGNMENT
The Piper Alpha Platform, North Sea, 6th July 1988
SUMMARY OF THE NEED
To ensure proper handing-over procedures
among Operators and Technicians in an oil and gas production firm in Trinidad and
Tobago by analyzing how poor handover played a part in the Piper Alpha Tragedy.
Based on the above analysis, proposals are
to be made to the contracting firm’s management team to make their operations safe.
THE PIPER ALPHA TRAGEDY
Piper Alpha was a large fixed Structure
Platform located about 120 miles north east of Aberdeen that was linked to two other platforms; Claymore and Tartan
At 10:00 pm 6th July 1988, a massive
explosion and subsequent fire led to the destruction of the platform. 167 men died on that day (including two crew men of rescue vessels). This deadly occurrence was due to the leaking of condensate from the unfinished maintenance of a pump and its safety valve.
To date it is one of the most devastating
disasters the oil and gas industry has ever faced.
This disaster contributed to many safety
procedures being reviewed and changed.
Piper Alpha platform before disaster ANALYSIS OF THE PIPER ALPHA TRAGEDY
According to the Cullen Report the causes of the disaster are as follows:
A breakdown in the proper use of the permit –to-work system. No formal training in the use of this system by any workers on Piper Alpha.
Poor handover procedures by existing supervisors and
shift leaders.
Poor safety culture existed on Piper Alpha long before
the disaster. (Deficient hazard analysis ,disregard of hazard reports, lack of inter-platform drills, emergency water deluge system was on manual not automatic)
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSAL
To highlight the problems that may occur and
provide recommendations to prevent them from occurring in the Oil and Gas firm.
To provide reference to the potential scenarios using
an analysis of the Piper Alpha tragedy.
To highlight the role poor