Amid the fierce impact of Storm Babet, the Stena Spey North Sea oil platform faced a critical situation as eight of its anchors were loosened, prompting the evacuation of more than half of its staff. Coastguard helicopters were swiftly mobilized to relocate 45 non-essential workers to nearby platforms and to the Sumburgh base on the Shetland Islands.

Located approximately 146 miles east of Aberdeen, the Stena Spey platform, operated by Stena Drilling, encountered an unsettling development with four of its eight anchors becoming detached from the drilling unit due to the severe weather conditions.

While all 89 personnel on the rig were confirmed to be safe and accounted for during a comprehensive roll-call conducted before the partial evacuation, Stena Drilling established a dedicated response number to address concerns from relatives of the affected employees.

Reassuring the public about the stability of the drilling unit, a Stena Drilling spokesperson emphasized that the well remains secure and that the Stena Spey has been stabilized. As a precautionary measure, an emergency response rescue vessel (ERRV) has been placed on standby, bolstering the support infrastructure for the platform.

The company promptly activated its emergency response procedures, notifying the relevant authorities, including the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and coordinating all necessary support services through the shore-based incident response team. The spokesperson reiterated the commitment to prioritize the safety of the personnel and swiftly resolve the situation to minimize any potential risks to the asset.