Oil and Gas News
Beatrice platform down-manned over night
An oil platform in the North Sea has been evacuated after a ship carrying radioactive material caught fire and began drifting in the Moray Firth.
The Parida was transporting a cargo of radioactive concrete waste when a fire broke out in one of her two funnels.
The blaze has been extinguished, but 52 workers were taken from the Beatrice platform by helicopter as a precaution.
According to BBC, 52 workers from the Beatrice oil platform were evacuated last night as a precaution. The drifting ship, MV Parida, which lost power due to a fire outbreak onboard, was around 7 miles from the platform at the time of evacuation, BBC further reported. The fire broke out in one of the vessels funnels and was quickly extinguished.
Scotlands’ Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, Richard Lochhead said: “Scottish Government Ministers are closely monitoring the on-going marine incident involving the MV Parida in Moray Firth.
“A Scottish Government Resilience meeting has taken place with key partners including Police Scotland and the Maritime Coastguard Agency, which is coordinating an operation to stabilise the vessel and ensure it is safely recovered to harbour.
“Ministers have been briefed and Scottish Government officials are engaging closely with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the UK Government and key partners to ensure appropriate response arrangements are in place.”
Source: www.offshoreenergytoday.com