Seconds From Disaster - S01E10 - Explosion in the North Sea

Piper Alpha was a North Sea oil production platform operated by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd. The platform began production in 1976, first as an oil platform and then later converted to gas production. An explosion and resulting fire destroyed it on July 6, 1988, killing 167 men, with only 59 survivors. The death toll includes two crewmen of a rescue vessel. Total insured loss was about £1.7 billion (US$ 3.4 billion). At the time of the disaster the platform accounted for approximately ten percent of North Sea oil and gas production, and was the worst offshore oil disaster in terms of lives lost and industry impact.
The Kirk of St Nicholas in Union Street, Aberdeen has dedicated a chapel in memory of those who perished and there is a memorial sculpture in the Rose Garden of Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen. Thirty bodies were not recovered.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• seconds from disaster
• Piper Alpha

[TheStormfam]

This episode (46:37) is the first episode to have a dedication. Bob Ballantyne had died shortly after being interviewed for the entire episode.

[etomlins4]

I just love how Tartan and Claymore kept pumping fuel into the burning platform. What did they think, as they watched it burn and they continued to fuel the blaze? "Oh, it'll sort itself out!" And I guess it did, in a way.

[snakes3425]

@titanic5577

it wasn't just the oil and natural gas that was burning, the fire had come into contact with the rig's super structure and the furishing inside hence why it's orange

[betatalk357]

@OAleathaO This is the British narrator, so his accent makes it impossible for him to moderate his voice or stress his voice at key segments. The American narrator (watch The Crash of the Sunset Limited, Seconds From Disaster) sounds like a cross between William Shatner and a serial killer, so vocal moderation and stress segments is child's play for him.

[titanic5577]

32:27 why isn't that fireball blue like the initial blast that started the problem

[OAleathaO]

No offense to this narrator but his voice always seems to be in a state of excitement. He needs to learn how to moderate his voice for segments that require a sense of suspense.

[sertox12345]

alarm alarm you do nothing come on wake up man

[sertox12345]

if i was on i would shut it all down fast

[todell57455]

@xygomorphic44 u seen texas oil explosion yet? BP at its best

[PostalCode74]

@BJ2466 Accually, Piper Alpha was worse in terms of loss of life. BP is one of the biggest oil SPILLS in history.