Ithaca’s (LON: ITH) wellhead protector platform on the Captain field in the North Sea has suffered a crane failure which has led to drilling crews being evacuated.
Union members aboard the offshore platform have said they are concerned about access to food and drinking water as workers wait to depart.
However, the operator said “it’s really not a significant issue” as Energy Voice received word from those onboard that there are concerns around food and water supply for the installation.
However, Unite the Union has said “that’s not the same message we’re getting from offshore” and that there is a “major problem there”.
The operator has said that the crane will be repaired “as soon as possible” but it does not have a time or date for the work to be carried out.
Captain crew member calls situation a ‘sh*t show’
One member of the platform’s crew, and union member, has said that the situation is a “sh*t show” and that “we are on the last of the food”.
The crane onboard the wellhead protector platform (WPP) brings food and water on board from supply vessels. In response to this, Ithaca has set up “alternative ways to get essential supplies”.
The union member explained that the operator aims to send supplies to a neighbouring platform and transport the goods across a bridge that connects the two sites.
“They are going to try land it all on the other platform then shuttle six containers of food stuffs over a 150m long bridge to the other side,” the worker said.
The union member described the situation as “absolutely nuts” and explained that there is “no food for Christmas on board”.
A separate worker onboard said that there are 65 people on board and “maybe 3 days water left”.
© ChevronIt is understood that a “300m” hose has been hooked up to supply water to the platform for the time being.
Ithaca said: “The platform is well supplied. But we will set up alternative ways to get essential supplies such that we can continue operation in case the current situation lasts for longer.”
As a result of the crane failure, Ithaca has removed “non-essential drilling personnel” from the platform. However, “All other activities are progressing as normal.”
The operator said that by removing staff from the WPP will “reduce the load on the platform organisation”.
Unite the Union said that hygiene onboard the platform could be impacted if water supplies dwindle.
The firm commented: “There are no implications for safety or welfare which remains our top priority.”
The Captain field is located around 90 miles off the coast of Aberdeen and has been operating since 1997.
‘Lack of maintenance is now biting them’
Unite the Union claims that this is a more serious issue than the North Sea firm is letting on and that the situation is representative of a wider maintenance issue.
The union member aboard Captain wrote: “Lack of maintenance is now biting them at a time of the year when the crew should be looked after and appreciated.”
Regional officer for the union, John Boland, pointed to recent examples of poor maintenance in the UK’s oil and gas sector as evidence that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) should do more to protect worker wellbeing.
Earlier this year the HSE said it had seen “extremely worrying” cases of North Sea operators going “backwards” on critical maintenance.
Safety-critical maintenance backlog has been flagged as a major issue in the North Sea following the COVID pandemic, however, Unite claims that the UK’s safety watchdog isn’t doing enough to combat the issue.
Boland said that “deferred maintenance is shooting up” as offshore risk assessments argue that work can be carried out less regularly.
“Basically, maintenance isn’t actually getting done, it’s just getting put off,” he added.
The union man pointed to recent notices served to North Sea operators Repsol and Apache, who operate aging assets, as examples of this.
© SYSTEM“This could lead to really bad situations,” Boland argued.
“We’re obviously concerned about this situation that is happening with the Captain WPP but we’re also concerned about the wider industry.”
Throughout the year Repsol’s Fulmar platform has been served several notices regarding lagging maintenance on its deluge system.
This month the HSE served a prohibition notice to the operator after an inspector failed the platform during an inspection.
Repsol said at the time: “We will fully cooperate with the findings and address the requirements promptly. The health and safety of our people remains our priority.”
The HSE had previously served Repsol with improvement notices warning that the system had blocked nozzles, corrosion and marine growth, and that Repsol had imported gas onto the platform during this time.
The Unite the Union regional officer questioned: “Do we have to wait until there’s a disaster for somebody to take this seriously and say, ‘we can’t keep cutting back’?”
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