Commemorating Piper Alpha: 36 years of learning and progress in offshore safety

This month, as part of SHP’s editorial partnership with Fieldfisher’s Health & Safety team, Beth Thompson (Associate) and Krysteen Ormond (Solicitor) revisit the context and key learnings from the Piper Alpha disaster, underscoring the ongoing importance of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of workers across all industries.

On 6 July, the offshore oil and gas industry will commemorate the 36^th anniversary of the Piper Alpha tragedy. The catastrophic platform explosion, occurring 120 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland, remains the deadliest incident in offshore history, claiming 167 lives and seriously injuring 61 survivors.

The Piper Alpha disaster is recognised as a pivotal moment in offshore health and safety. The lessons drawn from the subsequent Cullen Inquiry have profoundly influenced safety practices and continue to influence the health and safety management systems of many organisations today.

Piper Alpha: One tragic night

Piper Alpha, originally designed solely for oil extraction in the northern North Sea, was later modified to handle gas extraction and export. The exact cause of the explosion that led to the platform’s total destruction remains uncertain, however, the Cullen Inquiry (which investigated the disaster) outlined the following likely sequence of events:

• On 6 July 1988, Condensate Pump A was isolated for maintenance, including work on the pressure safety valve, requiring two separate work permits.
• During the evening shift change, incomplete maintenance on the valve left Pump A temporarily covered with a permit, indicating it should not be restarted. It is unclear whether this was communicated to the new shift.
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  Beth Thompson, Associate at Fieldfisher

  Later that evening, Pump B shut-down due to a methane clathrate blockage, leading to a buildup of natural gas liquids and preventing the pump from restarting. Management had only 30 minutes to resolve the issue before an automatic power shutdown.

• Despite finding the maintenance permit for Pump A, the warning permit against restarting it was missed.

• Shortly after Pump A was restarted, an over-pressured gas flow triggered explosions in Modules C and B. Within 80 minutes, the platform’s topsides collapsed, causing the accommodation module to fall into the sea containing over 80 personnel, none of whom survived.
• The explosions ruptured high-pressure gas pipes connected to nearby platforms, releasing gas at a rate of 3 tonnes per second. A rescue craft was destroyed in the explosion, resulting in further casualties.

Lessons learned

Krysteen Osmond, Solicitor at Fieldfisher

The Cullen Inquiry identified multiple areas where health and safety processes failed, offering lessons which are still applicable to today’s organisational health and safety management systems:

• Change Management: Safety measures on Piper Alpha did not adequately address new risks associated with retrofitting for gas extraction, highlighting the need for organisations to continuously review and update safety protocols in line with operational changes.
• Work Permit Systems/Handovers: Inadequate work permit systems and informal communication during shift changes contributed to safety lapses on Piper Alpha, emphasising the necessity of clear, robust protocols and effective communication.
• Personal Safety vs. Process Safety: Fire-fighting pumps were set to manual mode, due to routine diving operations, leaving Piper Alpha vulnerable during the disaster when the fire pumps could not be accessed and activated, stressing the importance of integrating both personal and process safety considerations.
• Safety Culture: A complacent safety culture at Piper Alpha played a significant role in the disaster, emphasising the crucial need for a proactive safety culture where every employee is vigilant and accountable for safety.
• Interconnection: The explosions on Piper Alpha cut communications with nearby platforms, which delayed their shutdown and allowed oil from these platforms to continue fuelling the fire, highlighting the importance of accounting for managing interconnected systems and risks.
• Emergency Response Systems: Inadequate emergency response mechanisms on Piper Alpha hindered evacuation efforts, reinforcing the need for regular drills and emergency preparedness.

Piper Alpha memorial in Aberdeen, Scotland. Credit: Alamy Stock.

The aftermath of the Cullen Inquiry

The Cullen Inquiry resulted in over 100 recommendations to overhaul offshore safety procedures on offshore installation, which the Health and Safety Executive was charged with implementing through legislative reform. The recommendations adopted a ‘goal-setting’ approach to allow flexibility in implementing tailored safety measures across operations, rather than a rigid check list. The 1990s saw the introduction of comprehensive health and safety regulations covering all facets of offshore operations, supported by initiatives like ‘Step Change in Safety’ to continually enhance standards offshore.

The horizon for offshore health and safety

While significant advancements have been made in offshore safety, including new technologies and regulations, the upcoming Piper Alpha anniversary serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of health and safety lapses, underscoring the ongoing importance of vigilance, robust safety systems, and a proactive safety culture to safeguard lives and prevent future tragedies.

A guide for managers: Supporting employee wellbeing

This guide, written by Heather Beach, Founder of The Healthy Work Company, serves as a go-to resource to help managers support team members who may be experiencing stress or struggling with their mental health, including warning signs, duty of care and top tips.

Click here to read!