Offshore safety challenges in extreme areas

As rising fuel prices make drilling in extreme areas more attractive, rig owners are re-fitting existing rigs to face the rigours particular to deep seas and extreme conditions.

Much has changed in the face of safety on board since the Piper Alpha disaster 19 years ago. However, the challenge of evacuating personnel from installations in deep waters or in extreme cold climates is an issue that rig builders and re-fitters take extremely seriously.

Personnel are more vulnerable to hazardous environments with installations in isolated areas often far from shipping routes, such as in deep water or Arctic and Antarctic waters. Evacuating crew safely and rapidly from an installation to a protected means of safety is paramount to increase chances for survival.

Protecting evacuees from the cold and the forces of nature becomes critical in helping to prevent hypothermia or injury
Evacuation is just the first part of rescue. It could be hours before evacuees are rescued from liferafts, making it all the more important to protect evacuees from exposure and injury during evacuation – which may well have taken place under extreme conditions of low temperatures, high winds and heavy seas or even fire.

VIKING evacuation systems provide protection in cold or tough environments and are safe to use. Evacuees descend the chute section by section eliminating free fall situations. Multiple evacuees can descend the chute simultaneously, allowing for a steady, continuous and controlled flow of evacuees to the liferafts. The chutes are kept stable via weights that automatically compensate for wave movement.

Protecting evacuation equipment should the unthinkable happen
An explosion near evacuation equipment could render it useless if it isn't protected. All VIKING systems can be stored in blast proof containers that protect the evacuation equipment inside from blast damage.

VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has been providing evacuation systems to the offshore industry for 20 years. The range of chute evacuation systems provide safe and rapid evacuation directly into liferafts and protect evacuees from the harshest environments from fire to Arctic waters. Systems are available for any type and size of installation in all locations or conditions.