S A F E T Y
ADVANCING OIL RIG
SAFETY WITH AUTOMATION
The Gulf oil spill is
Nearly a decade after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the offshore oil industry remains notoriously dangerous. Accidents on oil
rigs threaten human life, cost billions in damage repair and leave irreversible effects on the environment. To help reduce
the risk of accidents, some oil rigs are sending their human workers ashore and turning to automation. John Young, APAC
director for global automation parts supplier EU Automation, looks at how robotics are making the offshore oil industry safer.
perhaps one of the
most well-known
oil rig disasters to
ever occur. On 20
April 2010, the oil rig exploded and
sank into the ocean. The incident
was caused by a well integrity
failure, which meant the pressure
of the fluid inside the well was
uncontrolled, causing hydrocarbons
to rapidly shoot up and ignite.
Eleven crew members were killed
as a result, 17 severely injured
and all mentally scarred from
the horrific ordeal. The effects
on the surrounding environment
were equally catastrophic, with an
estimated 3.19 million barrels of oil
spilled into the Gulf.
IMPEDED PROGRESS IN
OIL RIG SAFETY
Accidents such as these are
devastating and highlight the need
for safety improvements. The
Gulf oil spill triggered a massive
investigation into oil rig safety
culture, with a number of reforms
made to tighten requirements of
building structures, workplace
26 February 2020