INTRODUCTION

Piper Alpha was a North Sea oil production platform fully managed and operated by
Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd subsidiaries of Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy).
Oxy is a California based company in oil and gas exploration and production with operations in
the few countries. Besides, it was founded in 1920.

Other than that, Dr. Armand Hammer was elected as president and CEO in 1957. Then,
the company discovered the second largest natural gas field in California in 1961 in the Arbuckle
area of the Sacramento basin at Lathrop. After 10 years, Occidental expanded internationally
with operations in Libya, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Trinidad and United Kingdom. In 1965, it
lead the Occidental to the won exploration rights in Libya and operated there until all activities
were suspended in 1986 after the United States imposed economic sanctions on Libya.

On top of that, Piper Alpha Platform was constructed in two sections by McDermott
Engineering and UIE at Ardersier and Cherbourg respectively. The assembly of the two sections
was carried out at Ardersier. The gas processing system of the platform comprised two high-
pressure condensate pumps. The platform was around 300m high and was modular in design,
comprising of four main operating areas. The operating areas were separated by firewalls and the
platform was equipped with both diesel and electric seawater pumps to supply water to its
automatic firefighting system.

The platform had a capacity to accommodate more than 200 people, and featured a
helideck. The height of the helideck from the water was around 175ft. The platform was placed
at the Piper oilfield, around 273 km north-east of Aberdeen. The offshore oil and gas platform
pumped processed crude oil from the oilfield to Flotta Terminal, located on the Island of Orkney.
The export oil lines from the new Tartan and Claymore platforms were further connected with
Piper's oil export line to the Flotta Terminal. The platform later served as a hub which processed
its own gas, collected gas from the Tartan Platform, and pumped the gas onto the MCP-01
Platform. Piper Alpha was also linked with Claymore via a gas pipeline which received and
supplied gas to the latter for gas-lift purposes.
 Meanwhile, an explosion and subsequent inferno on the Piper Alpha platform on 6 th July
1988 which is operated by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd in the UK North Sea, sacrificed
167 peoples life in now remains the worlds most deadly offshore disaster. However, it was the
failures of the companys management on safety on the Piper Alpha Platform according to the
official investigation report written by Lord Cullen.
Cause of the Piper Alpha Disaster

The accident was primarily caused by maintenance work simultaneously carried out on
one of the high-pressure condensate pumps and a safety valve, which led to a leak in
condensates. After the removal of one of the gas condensate pump's pressure safety valve for
maintenance, the condensate pipe remained temporarily sealed with a blind flange as the work
was not completed during the day shift. Besides, not aware of the maintenance being carried out
on one of the pumps, a night crew turned on the alternate pump. Following this, the blind flange
including firewalls failed to handle the pressure, leading to several explosions.

Other than that, the fire at the platform intensified due to the failure in closing the flow of
gas from the Tartan Platform. The automatic firefighting system had remained deactivated since
divers worked underwater before the incident. Helicopter operations were hampered due to the
amount of heat and smoke.

Figure 1
 Figure 2

However, the Piper had two of these pumps, which were identified as condensates pumps
A and B. Based on Figure 2, these were located in the gas processing module "C" with one
operating and one on standby. As well as being exported to MCP-01, Piper also used the
processed gas to fuel the main power generators that supplied the electricity to the platform.
After that, on the morning of the accident on July 6, 1988, a Pressure Safety Valve (PSV #504)
had been removed from pump A" for routine calibration checks, with the statutory Permit to
Work" being raised and left in the Main Control Room. Two blanks (machined blind flanges)
were bolted to the inlet and outlet flanges, in place of the removed PSV.
Area of the Piper Alpha Disaster

As we know, Piper Alpha was a large fixed platform on the Piper oilfield 193km north-
east of Aberdeen. It produced crude oil and was later converted to gas production from 24 wells,
via subsea pipeline to the Flotta oil terminal on Orkney. However, the conversion from oil to gas
was thought to have played a key role in the disaster of 6 th July 1988. Besides, the platform was
originally built for oil, the firewalls could resist fire but not explosions. A leaking gas valve,
which had not been properly sealed, created a fire that was in turn fed fresh fuel from ruptured
pipework connecting the adjoining Tartan and Claymore platforms. Then, the platform accounted
for approximately ten percent of North Sea oil and gas production, and the accident was the
worst offshore oil disaster in terms of lives lost and industry impact at the time of the disaster.

On top of that, it was also said that a gas pump which was being upgraded by the day
shift was activated in error by the nightshift. Then, the pump leaked gas and the first explosion
occurred. The fire spread rapidly and rescue boats were launched to evacuate the rig.
Victim of the Piper Alpha Disaster

The Piper Alpha disaster has killed 167 workers on 6 July 1988 off the coast of Aberdeen
which is the world's deadliest ever oil rig accident. When the platform blew 167 out of 228
workers either on the rig or one of the safety standby vessels patrolling it died. Besides, the
platform was completely destroyed and it took almost three weeks for the fire to be brought
under control by famed American wild well controller, Red Adair.

[ http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jul/04/piper-alpha-disaster ]

Other than that, a series of explosions followed as pipelines linking Piper Alpha to two
other platforms ruptured and burst. Some of the crew jumped from the rig and survived, but most
remained in the accommodation block waiting to be rescued. Shortly after, the platform
collapsed into the sea. Amazingly, 61 men was survived. Some by jumping 175ft (53m) from the
rig's helicopter deck into the sea. [ http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-22840445 ]
REFERENCE

1) http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jul/04/piper-alpha-disaster
2) http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-22840445