UK oil industry body Oil & Gas UK held a meeting with about 80 representatives from operators and major contractors today (Monday) after a helicopter carrying offshore workers crashed off the Shetland Islands, killing four.
The CHC Helicopter AS332-L2 aircraft was on approach to Sumburgh Airport at 6.30pm on Friday when contact was lost with air traffic control and it crashed into the sea about two nautical miles west of Sumburgh.
It had been to the Total E&P UK-operated North Alwyn platform and the Borgsten Dolphin drilling rig and was carrying 16 passengers and two crew.
One Total employee was among the passengers. The others represented 12 separate contractor organizations.
Industry safety group Step Change in Safety’s Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) met on Saturday and recommended the temporary suspension of all Super Puma helicopter commercial passenger flights to and from offshore oil and gas installations within the UK.
Today's meeting was to discuss the operational impact of the temporary suspension of Super Puma helicopters, in the short and longer term, and what collaborative actions might be taken to minimise this and the operational impact on the offshore workforce.
Oil & Gas UK chief executive, Malcolm Webb, said: “The industry met today to set in train appropriate actions to address the operational consequences of the current situation. The Super Puma helicopter fleet represents over 50% of the capacity in the North Sea. The immediate knock-on effects of this are delays and flight backlogs with considerable inconvenience to the workforce and their families, and potential adverse effects on offshore activities.
“Our primary concern is assuring the safety of the workforce. The Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG), which met on Saturday, recommended that flights of each of the various models of Super Puma helicopter should only resume when sufficient factual information to support this decision becomes available. Today’s meeting endorsed that position.”
“Individual operators have contingency plans in place for when flights are suspended due to bad weather for example, but preparing for a wider or potentially longer-term issue will require industry-wide collaboration. Oil & Gas UK will therefore work with its members and the regulators to ease the adverse impacts of this loss of capacity.”
The four who died were:
Duncan Munro, aged 46, from Bishop Auckland
Sarah Darnley, aged 45, from Elgin
Gary McCrossan, aged 59, from Inverness
George Allison, aged 57 from Winchester
The Super Puma series of helicopters includes the AS332 L, L1, L2 and EC225 variants. “There are significant technical differences between these variants; however, until more is understood on cause of the accident, this cautious approach is appropriate,” said HSSG.
“HSSG will closely monitor the situation and will only recommend resumption of flights by one or more of the Super Puma variants when it considers that sufficient factual information is available to support the decision.”
The next meeting of HSSG will take place on Wednesday.
CHC Helicopter has temporarily suspended all of its Super Puma AS332 L2 flights worldwide.
A full investigation into the cause of the incident will be carried out in conjunction with the Air Accident Investigation Branch, representatives of which are currently on their way to the scene.
Friday’s incident is just over a month after the HSSG recommended the Super Puma EC225 flight return to operations, after a suspension following two controlled ditchings involving the aircraft in May and October 2012.
On Saturday, Webb said: “Oil & Gas UK is deeply concerned by the news of the latest ditching of an industry helicopter in the North Sea. We are thinking first and foremost of the passengers and crew involved in this incident and of their families and friends; and in particular those of the three people who are still unaccounted for.
“All offshore helicopter pilots undergo extensive training to prepare them for emergency situations and all passengers undergo regular helicopter evacuation training. This incident serves to emphasize the critical importance of such preparation.
“Helicopter safety remains a focus for the oil and gas industry, with the HSSG now an established part of the Step Change in Safety organization. Oil & Gas UK awaits more information on this incident and, through the HSSG, will ensure any learning from this is shared across the industry.”
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