Vessel hits North Sea platform. Workers evacuated

An offshore supply vessel caused a stir in the North Sea yesterday after it crashed into an oil platform.

According to reports, the Sea Falcon platform supply vessel was offloading supplies when it hit the Apache-operated Forties Echo platform, in the UK sector of the North Sea.

Non-essential personnel has been evacuated and taken to the adjacent Forties Bravo platform.

Oil production from the Forties Echo, located 110 miles north east of Aberdeen, Scotland, has been shut, with no hydrocarbon leaks reported, an Apache spokesperson told Reuters.

Offshore Energy Today has reached out to Apache and Deep Sea Supply, the owner of the Sea Falcon platform supply vessel, seeking more information. We are yet to receive a response.

Apache’s Forties Echo is a 4-legged fixed steel structure. It is a manned wellhead platform, with multiphase produced fluids from platform wells exported to Forties Alpha where they are
commingled with other Forties Alpha fluids for primary processing.

Update: March 17, 2015 1 p.m. CET

In an e-mail sent to Offshore Energy Today, Apache, the operator of the Forties Echo platform confirmed, that a supply vessel came into contact with the Forties Echo platform, at approximately 08.40 hours Monday.

Apache said: “A muster of the 30 personnel on board has been completed. Everyone was accounted for and no one has been injured. A precautionary controlled downmanning of non-essential personnel has begun. Fifteen crew members have been transferred to the nearby Forties Bravo platform. Fifteen crew members currently remain on board Forties Echo.

The supply vessel is returning to port under its own power.

Emergency procedures were activated, the platform has been shutdown and there has been no leak of hydrocarbons.

An initial visual inspection has been carried out from the platform’s standby vessel and a specialist inspection team is being mobilized to assess the damage to the platform.

Apache’s onshore response team has been mobilised and all relevant authorities and contractors are being advised. Apache’s priority is to work with the authorities to ensure the safety of all platform personnel. A relatives’ response team and contractors liaison team have been mobilized.

Weather conditions in the area are reported as good.”

Offshore Energy Today Staff