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Oil workers lack confidence in Airbus

13 oil workers died at Turøy outside Sotra a year ago.Photo: Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix

Confidential representatives have little confidence in the Airbus helicopter supplier and believe Statoil must secure more helicopter types in the fleet.

The Hearing Commission said on Friday that there was a crack in a gear that caused the accident where 13 oil workers died at Turøy outside Sotra a year ago.

 The helicopter was an EC225 Super Puma manufactured by Airbus. A similar failure in an Airbus helicopter was the cause of an accident outside of Scotland in 2009.

 “It’s worrying that they did not do a job last time, and confidence to use Airbus’s has been greatly weakened,” says Bjørn Asle Teige, Group Representative in Safe to NRK.

 He says they will require new helicopters, which is supported by the trade union Industri Energi.

 There are subcontractors responsible for the helicopter transport of oil workers. In the agreements Statoil can specify which helicopter types they want.

 The helicopter type involved in the accident last year is set on the ground, and it is now only Sikorsky helicopters transporting employees to the oil platforms.

 Press contact Morten Eek in Statoil says the company will never again use the Super Puma helicopter.

 He says they look at other helicopters, but no agreement is in place.

 

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today