Yes vote would be ‘fatal’ for North Sea oil and gas, warns Fallon
Exclusive: The UK’s energy minister has warned that Scottish independence would be “absolutely fatal” for the North Sea oil and gas industry. Watch our video interview here.
Features
Scotland Decides: Government accused of ‘squandering’ oil wealth
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has claimed Scotland’s oil wealth has been “squandered” for decades and described a decision not to set up an oil fund as a “huge error”.
Super Puma crash survivor’s fury at lack of safety gear briefing
A man who escaped a fatal helicopter crash yesterday spoke for the first time about his ordeal.
North Sea helicopter firm praise for units
Airbus Helicopters said it has delivered an “industry-leading” number of aircraft in the last year, having manufactured 497 units.
Super Puma FAI: Helicopter crash was ‘not survivable’, says investigator
The pilots of a Super Puma helicopter could do nothing to prevent it from crashing into the North Sea, an inquiry has heard.
Clutha lawyers want wider helicopter safety probe after Super Puma hearing
Lawyers representing some of the victims of a helicopter crash in GLasgow have called for a public inquiry into the safety of all commercial flights in the UK.
Super Puma FAI: ‘Discrepancies’ in technical records, says investigator
An air accidents investigator has told an inquiry that Bond Offshore Helicopters had not followed maintenance records “by the book” in the week leading up to a fatal crash involving one of the firm’s aircraft.
Scotland Decides: Major North Sea oil find could swing referendum
A leading economist has predicted that a major North Sea oil find in the next eight months could have an impact on the independence campaign.
Union chiefs back public inquiry calls over North Sea helicopter safety
Union bosses have backed calls for a full public inquiry into North Sea helicopter safety amid fears that commercial factors influence whether a helicopter flies.
Super Puma FAI: Copter crash cause may never be known, inquiry told
An air accidents investigator has said the reasons why a Super Puma helicopter’s gearbox suffered a “catastrophic” failure may never be known.
Final instalment of Wood Review due for submission
Sir Ian Wood's final report on the future of the North Sea will land on the desk of the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change this week ahead of its publication in February.
3.6m North Sea helicopter trips in just five years, new figures reveal
Workers in the North Sea oil and gas industry have made more than 3.6million helicopter trips in just five years.
Pilots to accuse regulators of safety failings over North Sea helicopter flights
Helicopter pilots will accuse regulators today of failing to ensure adequate safety in the oil and gas industry.
Super Puma FAI: New measures should prevent repeat of gearbox failure
Action taken by the manufacturer since the fatal North Sea helicopter disaster of 2009 should prevent the same kind of “catastrophic” gearbox failure happening again, a design expert for the company has said.
Super Puma FAI: Gearbox fragment not the first, inquiry hears
A metal fragment found in the gearbox of the helicopter involved in the 2009 North Sea disaster a week before the tragedy was not the first, it has emerged.
Safety chiefs call for flight briefings change after fatal Super Puma crash
Air accident experts investigating a North Sea helicopter crash which claimed four lives have highlighted a concern about pre-flight safety briefings on emergency equipment.
Super Puma FAI: Gearbox warnings minutes before crash
A sophisticated monitoring system recorded hundreds of warnings about loose metal in the gearbox during the days leading up to the 2009 North Sea helicopter disaster.
Safety alert after gearbox warning on Talisman offshore flight
Safety checks were carried out on a helicopter after a gearbox indicator light was triggered during an offshore flight.
Super Puma FAI: Engineer’s failure to identify gearbox fragment ‘catastrophic’, inquiry told
An engineer’s failure to correctly identify a tiny piece of metal found in the gearbox of a helicopter which later crashed, killing all 16 men on board, had “catastrophic” consequences.
MPs to hear helicopter safety evidence next week
A powerful committee of MPs will travel to Aberdeen next week to take evidence on North Sea helicopter safety.
Super Puma FAI: New doubts raised over crashed copter’s technical log
Another engineer has cast doubt on the accuracy of a technical log for the Super Puma helicopter which plunged into the North Sea in April 2009, killing 16 people.
Super Puma FAI: Checks on copter found no issues night before crash
Engineers found no sign of any problems with the gearbox of a helicopter the night before it crashed into the North Sea in April 2009, killing everyone on board.
Super Puma FAI: Copter engineers were ‘cautious about everything’ after earlier crash
Bond engineers were “cautious about everything” in the days leading up to the fatal 2009 helicopter tragedy amid ongoing investigations into an earlier crash, a fatal accident inquiry has heard.
Super Puma FAI: Crash copter’s gearbox was due to be replaced, inquiry hears
The fatal accident inquiry into the 2009 North Sea helicopter catastrophe continues to focus on the events surrounding the discovery of a metal fragment in the gearbox just weeks before the aircraft crashed.
Scotland Decides: SNP energy plans ‘unworkable’, warns Carmichael
Proposals to force UK consumers to subsidise renewables in an independent Scotland, and buy back energy to keep the lights on, have been branded “wrong-headed” and “unworkable”.