North Sea Oil/Gas Rigs

[lankeela]

Flying back over the north sea got me wondering a couple of things - what time do they use on the rigs (i.e. British Summer Time)? Can they use mobile phones on them? Are they allowed to smoke -i.e. would a gas leak explode if there was a naked flame?

[paddywak]

When I used to work in the mines the conditions in many ways resembled those on Oil rigs, especially underground as the atmosphere in most places could (in the wrong circumstances) become explosive, as a result smoking was not only forbidden but under the Mines and Quarries Act actually a criminal offence, also all electrical equipment had to be rigourously tested and certified for use in gaseous conditions and I imagine a similar system covers oil rigs, Especially since the disaster involving the Piper Alpha in which I lost several close friends , as the oil companies liked coal board trained craftsmen as they were used to working in potentially explosive atmospheres

[paddywak]

to continue my previous answer ANYTHING electrical,even battery powered watches for instance, were forbidden underground, smoking was only premitted on the surface of the mine and even there only in permitted places. Given the simularities in the conditions which exist between mines and oil rigs I would expect that the safety conditions are equaly as rigourous, especially as I've said since the terrible loss of life on Piper Alpha

[Buenchico]

Oil rigs which come under UK jurisdiction will have the same basic regulations which apply to fuel depots in the UK. ie. simply possessing matches or a cigarette lighter is a criminal offence.

Attempting to use a mobile phone on an oil rig would be both illegal and pointless. (Try using a mobile phone on a boat which is still within site of the coast - you probably won't get a signal).

Oil rig workers have to take precautions to avoid even the smallest spark. These include wearing suitable footwear to ensure that there's no static discharge between their bodies and the rig.

My understanding is that oil rigs normally use the same time as that of the country where their base is. So oil rigs serviced from Aberdeen will use GMT/BST, whereas those serviced from Scandinavian countries will use CET/CET+1. However, in common with all maritime operations, official communications will use UTC (which, for all practical purposes, is the same as GMT).

Chris

[lankeela]

Interesting comments, thanks for the info.

[Beanmistriss]

I know a few people who work on the rigs and they smoke. Alchohol is forbidden. They ring from phones on the rig as there are no mobile signals :)

[paddywak]

Beanmistriss, If you ask your friends I think they will tell you that they are only allowed to smoke in designated areas, well away from any part of the rig were an explosive mixture could build up in the atmosphere, these would most likely be the living and recreational parts of the rig.Given the danger of explosion I would be very surprised if smoking was allowed in the general working ares of the rig. As I said in the mines smoking was allowed in certain parts of the surface but just having smoking material in your possession underground, let alone actually smoking led not only to instant dismissal but prosecution under the Mines & Quarries Act.

[Beanmistriss]

I didn't say they were allowed to smoke openly in dangerous areas, just that I know they smoke when they are offshore.