2 days ago
TV – Piper Alpha documentary series announced
It was the world's worst offshore oil disaster, which claimed the lives of 167 people. Now a new BBC documentary series promises to give 'the fullest account yet' of the Piper Alpha disaster and its aftermath.
The disaster occurred at 10pm on 6 July 1988, when a series of explosions ripped through one of the North Sea's flagship oil platforms, 120 miles off the coast of Aberdeen.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 167 people as flames engulfed the platform, with only 61 survivors.
Now, 37 years later, The Piper Alpha Disaster, from BBC Studios for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer will revisit the events of that night and the months that followed to reveal 'a bigger, untold story'.
The three hour-long episodes will explore the rush for North Sea 'black gold', the working families shattered by the tragedy and its legacy on industry and individuals for decades afterwards.
Piper Alpha was the most productive oil rig in the North Sea. In 1979 it was converted to also send gas back to shore.
An explosion occurred when an out of service condensate pump was started after its pressure valve had been removed for a routine examination. Within four hours the platform was destroyed.
A Public Inquiry led by Lord Cullen would later reveal a flawed safety culture within the main US owned operator, Occidental and in the North Sea more widely.
It made 106 recommendations for offshore oil safety, but no criminal charges were brought.
Piper Alpha was the last major oil rig disaster in the North Sea.
At the heart of the series will be the unique and compelling testimony heard in the Cullen Inquiry, from men who survived the disaster, whose words, revoiced by actors, tell a remarkable human story of tragedy, heroism and an uncompromising quest for the truth.
The films will also feature interviews with the 'unheard voices' – wives, partners and children whose lives were changed forever, and medics, lawyers and journalists who were caught up in the disaster – to reveal an in-depth picture of the tragedy, the forces behind it and its far-reaching aftermath.
A spokesperson for the BBC said described the series as 'an emotional retelling of an unforgettable event with resonances that remain'.
They continued: 'This is the story of working families, of terrible failures of safety and of a community devastated by loss. It reveals how the oil boom of the 80s transformed entire communities with new lucrative work opportunities, whilst also putting them at deadly risk.'
Emma Hindley, Commissioning Editor, BBC Studios Specialist Factual, said: 'This series takes a timely and contemporary view on the UK's worst oil disaster.
'Told from the point of view of the men who were there at the time, their relatives and loved ones, the journalists who reported on it and experts from the inquiry, it gives a visceral, dramatic account of the event itself as well as the effects on the community and the industry worldwide.'
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning, BBC Scotland, said: 'The Piper Alpha disaster had a huge impact on communities in the Northeast of Scotland and beyond.
'The series will tell this tragic story sensitively and comprehensively, drawing on new interviews and on the detailed testimonies of the Cullen inquiry.
'Over three episodes the series will give the fullest account yet of what went wrong and how the impact of the tragedy continues to affect survivors, relatives, and the industry.'
BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions is a bespoke unit making premium output in the history, arts, music, and culture space.
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