Although the life of the Kittiwake platform has been extended thanks to new wells and improved technology, its continued operations also present health and safety challenges.
The installation was not designed to remain operational in the North Sea for 22 years, so Centrica and Petrofac have had to invest in new systems across the asset.
During Kittiwake’s annual shutdowns, specialists have gone on to the platform to upgrade the facility and make sure control systems are up to date. As a result, there has been no accident on Kittiwake of such seriousness that a worker has had to take time off because of injury for more than 2,400 days.
David Wilson, Centrica Energy’s regional director for the central and northern North Sea, said while maximising Kittiwake’s potential output was important, the operator had other priorities.
“Our first goal is always safety,” he said, adding: “Extending production is secondary.”
When the nearest manned platform is more than 20 miles away and the shore is 100 miles away, it is easy to understand why, and it is not just the directors who stress the importance of safe operations.
Petrofac’s Mathew Donald said workers on the platform noticed the difference investment in upgrades made.
He added: “My number one job is to produce oil safely. We are here to get oil out of the ground but the fact is that safety is the number one priority of working offshore.
“The challenge is getting the workforce to feel empowered to intervene. They have to be comfortable enough to go up to a complete stranger and step in if they feel that person is not acting safely.”
Mr Wilson said despite being rivals, operators were open about incidents and what they had learned from accidents.
“Speaking to each other and learning from both the good and the bad can only improve overall standards,” he said. Mr Donald added: “When you hear about an incident on another platform you want to know what happened and how we can prevent it happening here.
“We are not concerned about which company was involved.
“At the same time, if we can prevent an accident somewhere else because of something we have learned here, then we will get that information out.”