NEWS
‘SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK’ IF MAINTENANCE
SLIPS DURING OIL PRICE SLUMP, WARNS MP
The risk of another disaster like Piper Alpha will increase if North Sea
operators allow maintenance to slip during the slump in oil prices, a Labour
MP has warned.
F
rank Doran warned that health and safety standards fell
during the downturn of the 1980s because “many costs were
cut to the bone” and essential maintenance was passed over
to keep production going.
Speaking hours after Talisman Sinopec said it was making up
to 300 North Sea workers redundant, the MP for Aberdeen North
said the oil and gas industry should be given targeted tax relief to
support the maintenance of infrastructure and health and safety
systems and equipment.
“The consequences of the 1980s downturn were not only
job losses,” he said during a debate in the House of Common’s
Westminster Hall on 20th January. “All projects that were in
progress were stopped. The platforms that were producing
oil and gas carried on producing, but many costs were cut to
the bone. In particular, areas vital to safety, such as fire safety
equipment, deluge systems and others, received little or no
maintenance.
“The consequences of that approach were not immediately
apparent, but on the night of 6 July 1988 they were there for the
whole world to see. The Piper Alpha platform exploded with 167
deaths. It is still the most serious loss of life from any incident
anywhere in the offshore oil and gas industry.
“If there is slippage in maintenance through the downturn, the
dangers for offshore workers will increase significantly.”
The minister of state for Scotland, Conservative MP David
Mundell, moved to allay his concerns, saying that HSE will
“continue to inspect thoroughly asset integrity issues and raise
those with the industry at every opportunity to ensure that
regulatory standards are not compromised”.
“As many of the UK’s onshore installations are working beyond
their original design lives and have been exposed to a harsh
environment and heavy usage, it is absolutely essential that asset
integrity is maintained,” Mundell added.
He said the chancellor George Osborne “has made it very
clear” that he would make commitments to the industry in the
budget, which is due in March.
But Doran issued a warning about the sector squeezing its
contractors – in particular helicopter transport providers – by
cutting the price of their contract costs. He said he hoped the
industry was taking a “cautious and sensible approach” to the
matter and “the government and the regulators will strictly
monitor how health and safety standards are maintained on both
sides of the industry”. `
Original Source: https://sm.britsafe.org/significant-safety-risk-if-maintenance-slips-during-oil-price-slump-warnsmp#sthash.FI3D3Dc2.dpu
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