Oil rig disaster : Piper Alpha 1988

Yudha satria

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 was installed by 1980. Production declined to 125,000 barrels (19,900 m3) by 1988

construction

• A large fixed platform• piper Alpha was situated on the Piper oilfield,

approximately 120 miles (193 km) northeast of aberdeen in 474 feet (144 m) of water

• comprised four modules separated by firewalls• produced crude oil and natural gas from 24 wells

for delivery to flotta oil terminal• that at the time of the disaster, Piper was one of

the heaviest platforms on the north sea

Construction of piper alpha

Timeline of the incident

• 12:00 p.m. Two condensate pumps, designated A and B, displaced the platform's condensate for transport to the coast.

• 6:00 p.m. The day shift ended, and the night shift started with 62 men running Piper Alpha.

• 7:00 p.m. Like many other offshore platforms, Piper Alpha had an automatic fire-fighting system, driven by both diesel and electric pumps

next.

• 9:45 p.m. Condensate (natural gas liquids NGL) Pump B stopped suddenly and could not be restarted.

• 9:52 p.m. The permit for the overhaul was found, but not the other permit stating that the pump must not be started under any circumstances due to the missing safety valve.

• 9:55 p.m. Condensate Pump A was switched on. Gas flowed into the pump,

Later.

• 10:04 p.m. The control room was abandoned.• 10:20 p.m. Tartan's gas line (pressurised to

120 Atmospheres) melted and burst, releasing 15-30 tonnes of gas every second, which immediately ignited.

• 10:30 p.m. The Tharos, a large semisubmersible fire fighting, rescue and accommodation vessel, drew alongside Piper Alpha.

At the end..

• 10:50 p.m. The second gas line ruptured, spilling millions of litres of gas into the conflagration.

• 11:20 p.m. The pipeline connecting Piper Alpha to the Claymore Platform burst.

• 11:50 p.m. The generation and utilities Module (D), which included the fireproofed accommodation block, slipped into the sea.

• 12:45 a.m., 7 July The entire platform had gone.

Aftermath..

• sufficient time for more effective emergency evacuation

• This was a consequence of the platform design, including the absence of blast walls.

• the nearby connected platforms Tartan and Claymore continued to pump gas and oil to Piper Alpha

• Their operations crews did not believe they had authority to shut off production

What can we learn.?