The Incident

The Piper platform used two gas condensate pumps (Pump A and Pump B) to displace the platform’s condensate for transport to the shorebase. On 6th July 1988, Condensate Pump B had failed. Workers attempted to rectify the issue before the platform’s production could be affected. However, unknown to the night shift workers at the time, the failure occurred only hours after a critical pressure safety valve had been removed for repairs from Condensate Pump A. The open pipe had been temporarily covered with a hand tightened blind flange.

In order to continue platform operation, workers decided to activate Pump A. As Pump A was turned on and gas condensate flowed through the lines, the blind flange blew open to relieve the building pressure. The gas audibly vented from the blind flange and ignited.

These events resulted in a series of explosions that killed 167 members on board the platform. Piper Alpha continued to burn until the pipelines connected to the Claymore and Tartan platforms were destroyed by the explosions.

Although, civil and military rescue helicopters arrived on location, the intensity of the fire prevented a safe approach to the platform. Fast rescue boats were used to rescue survivors from the water. 61 workers were eventually rescued by the end of the disaster. The platform fire prevailed for three weeks before world renowned fire fighter ‘Red Adair’ and his team arrived on location and extinguished the blaze.

The Aftermath

The disaster turned severe as Occidental Petroleum issued no critical order to the Claymore and Tartan platforms to shut down production and Operators of Piper Alpha believed they did not possess the authority to stop Oil & Gas export from the platform. No emergency communication or evacuation orders were issued to the personnel on the platform. Continuous production from the Claymore and Tartan platforms added fuel to the flames that engulfed Piper Alpha thereby preventing them from eventually dying down. Following the 1st explosion, a firefighting vessel, Tharos was called off due to the intense heat from the blaze; so intense that parts of the vessel closest to the blaze started to melt.

Following a 2nd explosion, production from the Claymore platform was shut down. However, Tartan platform management were given orders to continue producing despite the situation on Piper Alpha. This was due to the consequential cost to Occidental Petroleum following the whole incident. Just before midnight on 6th July 1988, the scorched utilities module and crew quarters of the platform parted and slid into the sea. The remainders of the platform followed segment by segment until 12:45 AM on 7th July 1998. The oil well module of the platform was the only component that remained standing and burning for ~ 3 weeks.

Root Causes

The Piper Alpha Incident was identified to be a direct result of improper operations management between the day and night shift crews aboard the platform as well as the negligent culture of Occidental Petroleum and Platform management in July 1988.

Way Forward

The Piper Alpha disaster, the largest man made disaster at the time still continuous to be one of the worst offshore oil and gas disaster in terms of life lost and industry impacts. The incident continues to serve as an example of the consequences that can occur when production, schedule and costs are placed in front of investments in comprehensive safety systems.