Piper Alpha
Piper Alpha on fire shortly after the failure of the Tartan gas riser | |
| Date | 6 and 7 July 1988 |
|---|---|
| Time | Approximately 22:00 (BST) (first explosion) |
| Location | Piper Alpha platform, Piper oilfield, North Sea (UK sector) |
| Coordinates | 58°28′01″N 00°15′36″E / 58.46694°N 0.26000°E[1] |
| Type | Explosion and fire |
| Cause | – Startup of a condensate pump that had not been mechanically isolated due to ongoing maintenance – Lack of protection by design of gas risers |
| Filmed by | Scottish Television |
| Deaths | 167 |
| Property damage | £1.7 billion (equivalent to £4.4 billion in 2023) |
| Inquiries | Piper Alpha Public Inquiry (Cullen Inquiry) |
| Awards | Seven George Medal, eight Queen's Gallantry Medal, and five Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct recipients[2] |
Piper Alpha was an oil platform located in the North Sea about 120 miles (190 km) north-east of Aberdeen, Scotland. It was operated by Occidental Petroleum and began production in December 1976,[3] initially as an oil-only platform, but later converted to add gas production.
Piper Alpha exploded and collapsed under the effect of sustained gas jet fires in the night between 6 and 7 July 1988, killing 165 of the men on board (30 of whose bodies were never recovered), as well as a further two rescuers.[4] Sixty-one workers escaped and survived. The total insured loss was about £1.7 billion (equivalent to £4.4 billion in 2023), making it one of the costliest man-made catastrophes ever.[5][6] At the time of the disaster, the platform accounted for roughly 10% of North Sea oil and gas production[3] and was the world’s single largest oil producer.[7] The accident is the worst ever offshore oil and gas disaster in terms of lives lost, and comparable only to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in terms of industry impact.[8][9][10] The inquiry blamed it on inadequate maintenance and safety procedures by Occidental, though no charges were brought.[11][12] A separate civil suit resulted in a finding of negligence against two workers who were killed in the accident.[13]
A memorial sculpture is located in the Rose Garden of Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen.[14]
- ^ The Hon Lord Cullen (1990), vol. 1, p. 166.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:15was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:18was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Ross, Peter (15 June 2008). "The Night the Sea Caught Fire: Remembering Piper Alpha". Scotland on Sunday. Archived from the original on 22 August 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
- ^ Marsh JLT Specialty (2020). 100 Largest Losses in the Hydrocarbon Industry: 1974–2019 (26th ed.). New York, N.Y.: Marsh.
- ^ Frantzich, Håkan; Holmstedt, Göran (2010). "Fire and Explosion". In Grimvall, Göran; Holmgren, Åke J.; Jacobsson, Per; Thedéen, Torbjörn (eds.). Risks in Technological Systems. London, England: Springer-Verlag. p. 229. ISBN 978-1-84882-640-3.
- ^ "The 1988 Piper Alpha Explosion". Lloyd's. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Duff, Steven (6 June 2008). "Remembering Piper Alpha Disaster". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:9was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Sutton (2014), p. 78.
- ^ The Hon Lord Cullen (1990), vol. 1.
- ^ The Hon Lord Cullen (1990), vol. 2.
- ^ Lord Caplan (1997).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:6was invoked but never defined (see the help page).