Accidents in offshore oil and gas production

There are major accident risks involved in the development and operation of offshore oil and gas fields. The Bravo blow-out in 1977, the capsizing of the Alexander L.Kielland in 1980 and the fire and explosion that destroyed Piper Alpha in 1988 remind us about this fact. A blow-out may result in extensive losses of human lives and damage to the environment. The Piper Alpha catastrophe demonstrates that fires and explosions may cause a high number of fatalities and extensive monetary losses. 

Ordinary occupational accidents are also a concern in this industry. Norwegian accident statistics from the period 1989-98 show that a majority of the fatalities in offshore activities were so-called ordinary occupational accidents, when we exclude helicopter accidents (Vinnem, 1999). There were in total 18 fatalities in 16 different accidents. For permanent installations, the level of FAR was 2.2 and the LTI-rate was about six. The risk level on mobile drilling units was considerable higher with a FAR level of 21. 

Each part of an offshore platform has its own characteristics when it comes to the types of accident that occur. In drilling, for example, contact with objects or machinery in motion is a predominant accident type. Handling accidents predominate in catering. 

SHE is a central issue in all activities in connection with the development and operation of offshore fields. We will here demonstrate how the different tools described in Parts HI to V may be put into a system for use in SHE practice during the different phases of an offshore platform s life cycle. We will concentrate on design, construction and operation. The selected case, the Ymer field with Norskoil as operator, is fierive. It draws experience from real installations in operation and project work. 

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