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INTRODUCTION

The Piper Alpha was a NorthThe Piper Alpha was a North

Sea Oil Production platformSea Oil Production platform

operated by Occidentaloperated by Occidental

Petroleum(Caledonia)Ltd.Petroleum(Caledonia)Ltd.

The platform began productionThe platform began production

in 1976,first as an oil platformin 1976,first as an oil platform

and then later converted to gasand then later converted to gasproduction.production.

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INTRODUCTIONAn explosion and resulting fireAn explosion and resulting fire

destroyed it on July 6,1988, killingdestroyed it on July 6,1988, killing167 men.167 men.

Total insured loss was about 1.7Total insured loss was about 1.7billion(US$ 3.4 billion).billion(US$ 3.4 billion).

To date it is the worlds worstTo date it is the worlds worstoffshore oil disaster in terms of livesoffshore oil disaster in terms of lives

lost and impact to industry.lost and impact to industry.

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Explosion!!Exp

losion!!On 6 July 1988,a leakage of natural gascondensate, which had build up beneaththe platform, ignited, causing a massiveexplosion ignited secondary oil fires,

melting the riser of an upstream gaspipeline.

Released gas caused a 2nd,larger

explosion, engulfed the entire platform.Only 62 crewmembers survived out of229 on board that day;167 perished.

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AN ENTERTAINMENT

FOR

YOU.

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Early Stage of The Explosion

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Night of The Explosion

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After The Explosion

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RESPONSE

The main problem -The personnel who hadThe main problem -The personnel who had

authority to orderauthority to order evacuationevacuation hadhad been killedbeen killedwhen thewhen the 1st explosion1st explosion destroyed the controldestroyed the controlroom.room.

This was a consequence of design of theThis was a consequence of design of theplatform, including theplatform, including the absence of blast wallsabsence of blast walls..

Another contributing factor was that aAnother contributing factor was that a nearbynearby

platform (the Tartan) continue to pump gas intoplatform (the Tartan) continue to pump gas intothe heart of the fire until its pipeline ruptured inthe heart of the fire until its pipeline ruptured inthe heat. Thethe heat. The operations crew on the Tartan didoperations crew on the Tartan didnot have authority to shut off production evennot have authority to shut off production eventhough they could see that Piper Alpha wasthough they could see that Piper Alpha was

burning.burning.

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RESPONSE

Nearby support vessel Lowland

Cavalier reported the initialexplosion

20 minutes later, civil & military

rescue helicopters reached Tharos could not pump sufficient

water to approach it until after 2

hours.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

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RECOMMENDATION

Enforcement on regulatory ofoffshore installation

Demonstrate an effective SafetyManagement System

HSE 1991

Enforcement of PERMIT-TO-WORK System

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RECOMMENDATION

Temporary Safe Refuge (TSR)

Prevent smoke ingress

Evacuation & escapeMore than 1 route to

helicopters & lifeboats

Provide secondary escapeequipments e.g. : ropes,

ladders & nets

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RECOMMENDATION

Emergency Shutdown

Valves/System

Place proper location for easy

cut-off fuel supply in case of fire

Backup valves

Maintenance

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RECOMMENDATION

Fire protection

Provide fire brigade teamControl fire in early stage

Continual improvement of

safety management

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Do you as a safety officer in

the future would like thisaccident happen again?

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