Infographic: Safety concerns flagged up about Super Puma
A number of safety concerns have been raised regarding the Super Puma type at the centre of the latest North Sea tragedy, the Press and Journal can reveal.
Insights
Analysis: Mechanical failure most likely reason for Super Puma crash
The suggestion, from what I gather from eye-witness reports, is that the most likely cause of the incident appears to be a catastrophic mechanical failure cutting the connection between the engine and the rotor blades, writes aviation expert Tim Ripley.
Union vows to back workers who refuse to travel on Super Pumas
Union leaders last night said they would back workers who refuse to fly on Super Pumas again.
Jeremy Cresswell: Super Pumas forced to ground as inquiry starts
With four serious Super Puma incidents since April 1, 2009, the latest resulting in four deaths, the UK offshore industry has recommended the grounding of all Eurocopter Super Puma aircraft – not just the L2 variant at the centre of Friday’s crash.
Eurocopter chief backs call for Super Puma crash probe
The boss of the firm which built the fateful Super Puma helicopter expressed his sympathies yesterday to the families who lost a loved-one in the tragic crash.
Step Change in Safety urges offshore workers to not ‘sit in silence’ over flight fears
A North Sea safety boss has told workers not to “sit in silence” if they have fears about flying offshore.
Tributes paid to victims of Super Puma crash
Heartbroken relatives of the oil workers who died in the helicopter crash have spoken of their grief in the aftermath of the accident.
Super Puma in emergency just days before fatal crash
A helicopter of the same type as the craft which crashed into the sea on Friday had an emergency alert on the same route just days before.
Total boss says helicopter grounding could shut down North Sea platforms
Exclusive: Work may have to stop on some North Sea platforms following the latest helicopter tragedy, according to a leading UK oil boss.
Timeline: North Sea helicopter accidents
Since 1986 a number of significant helicopter accidents have occurred involving North Sea workers.
Jeremy Cresswell: We want answers over latest Super Puma failure
Yes, another Eurocopter aircraft has suffered a major failure – the third in less than two years and, I think, the fourth Puma to have gone down since April 2009.
Helicopter crash: Industry chief ‘deeply concerned’ by new incident
The head of the oil and gas industry body said last night news of another helicopter crash was troubling.
Four dead after CHC helicopter ditches in sea off Shetland
Three people have died after a helicopter ditched in the sea off Shetland - with the body of a fourth still unaccounted for.
Jeremy Cresswell: From Premier’s pick to Christmas for Falklands taxman
It was a given that Sea Lion would be developed using a floating production system; the surprise was that Premier currently favours using what is called a tension leg platform.
Fracking will puts Scots’ health at great risk
Tory MEP Struan Stevenson sparked a row by calling on policy-makers to send “trendy” environmental protesters “packing” and embrace shale gas. Mary Church, of Friends of the Earth Scotland says the country should be wary of fracking.
Have we entered brave new world of drug and alcohol testing?
Elaine Ramsay of Brodies looks at the legal implications of introducing drug and alcohol testing for employees in the workplace.
Struan Stevenson: Time to send protesters packing over fracking
The debate over fracking has divided communities in England and already forced one firm to reconsider its plans. But MEP Struan Stevenson warns failure to embrace shale gas could lead to UK blackouts
New research provides state of nation report on decommissioning sector
However, ageing structures must inevitably reach the end of their economic lifespans, production rates will decline through time, and with recently announced tax relief deeds allowing greater clarity in decommissioning decisions, a maturing of the UK sector seems imminent.
Jeremy Cresswell: Egypt … like a slow-mo and terrifying implosion
I’ve been watching the latest TV news reports from Egypt. It seems to me that an exceedingly terrifying, slow-motion implosion is taking place. And it started long before Muhammed Morsi came to power through an apparently democratic election following the January 25 revolution of 2011.
Jeremy Cresswell: Will Antrim become next minnow to fall?
Is the oil and gas exploration minnow Antrim about to croak? Read the notes of yesterday’s result statement and you will find that the company itself admits to “significant doubts” about its ability to continue trading.
How energy firms can avoid bribery prosecution
In the first part of his briberty series, Brodies' associate Paul Marshall looks at the steps which businesses who discover bribery connected to their organisation can take with the authorities to reduce the risk of prosecution.
How to increase and reduce risk of bribery prosecution at same time
Rightly or wrongly, the oil and gas sector is viewed as being vulnerable to bribery and corruption. The UK Bribery Act 2010 sets down the foundations to encourage prosecutions of corruption in business, especially British businesses with overseas operations. In the first of two articles on this subject, Paul Marshall considers how the Bribery Act increases the risk of prosecution for corruption.
US doles out $5million in nuclear power student scholarships
No such thing exists at the Department of Energy & Climate Change here in the UK, however, the US Energy Department has just awarded nearly $5million to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing nuclear engineering and science degrees.
Putting the ‘Q’ into HSE
In order to utilise quality to bring about an effective HSE system, first it must be defined. This in itself is a challenge as quality is often about the perception of the individual.
Scots firm taking renewables into classroom
A new education programme teaching kids about renewable energy is launching in the UK.