Piper Alpha: I needed to find out why North Sea disaster took my dad

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Shane Gorman was just 18 years old when he tragically lost his father in the Piper Alpha disaster. His dad, David Gorman, was working as a safety officer on the offshore oil platform, located approximately 120 miles north-east of Aberdeen. The devastating explosion that occurred in July 1988 resulted in the loss of 167 lives, marking it as the worst offshore oil and gas accident in history.

Despite the profound impact of his father’s death, Shane was inspired to follow in his footsteps by working towards improving safety standards within the industry. In a new BBC Scotland series, Shane discusses his decision to pursue a career offshore, echoing his father’s commitment to keeping people safe. He reflects on the mysterious circumstances that led to the catastrophic disaster, emphasizing the importance of understanding the factors that contributed to such a tragic event.

The last memory Shane shares of his father is a poignant one – a photograph taken just five days prior to the disaster. The image captures a moment of joy and celebration between father and son, as they toasted Shane’s departure to join the army. Little did Shane know that his life would change drastically in the days that followed, as news of the Piper Alpha explosion reached him during his basic training. The sudden loss of his father left Shane devastated and uncertain about the future.

Piper Alpha, a crucial infrastructure in the North Sea that had been operational since 1975, met its tragic fate on the fateful night of 6 July 1988. The sequence of events that led to the catastrophic explosion began with a leak from pipes connected to a pump. A crucial safety valve had been removed for maintenance, coinciding with a significant communication failure on the platform. This convergence of factors ultimately culminated in a devastating disaster that claimed the lives of many offshore workers like David Gorman

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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