BP Mass Evacuates North Sea Oilfield After Drifting Barge Threatens Safety

A BP oilfield was thrown into unexpected turmoil when an unmanned barge raised concerns over the safety of on-site employees. Over 200 workers were evacuated from the North Sea drilling platform as a drifting vessel coasted towards the rig.

While the unmanned barge was previously secured, stormy seas caused it to break away from its moorings. As it floated towards BP’s Valhall field managers identified it as a serious safety threat. It was on-course to crash into several platforms which produce around 50,000 barrels of oil a day. Loss of production was a concern but employee safety was paramount, with BP immediately airlifting hundreds of staff to nearby platforms.

BP on high alert for catastrophic collision

In a worst case scenario a collision could have triggered a major explosion. Environmental risks were also a concern, with BP worried about the possibility of a spill. The British Maritime and Coastguard Agency was on high alert, poised to take immediate action if the barge drifted into UK waters.

“We have shut production down on Valhall as a precautionary measure,” said a BP spokesperson. “We have taken some of the workers to nearby platforms so that they can get production back up quickly when the situation improves.”

BP escapes close call

Later that afternoon BP confirmed that the 328-foot-long barge had drifted past the Valhall site, though thankfully it didn’t make contact with any of the platforms. Authorities have also confirmed that the barge is no longer a national threat, with no other installations existing between its path and the Norwegian coastline.

The incident comes in the wake of the recent death of a man who drowned when a Troll field accommodation block was hit by a 60-foot wave. An additional two were airlifted to Norwegian hospitals with serious injuries. The North Sea Brae Alpha platform has also had its fair share of problems, forced to shut down in late December after a gas leak was detected. All incidents emphasise the dangers of offshore oil work, and the importance of maintaining watertight safety standards at all times.

As mentioned above, health and safety is a paramount priority for offshore oil and gas rigs. For more information on the latest technologies that help keep on-site workers safe, ‘Ultrasonic Gas Detectors With Artificial Neural Network Intelligence Improve Process Safety While Reducing False Alarms’ offers a wealth of insight.

Image via Flickr Creative Commons. Photo credits: Defence Images