Oil Rig Photos - Arriving on the Kittiwake Platform

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Oil Rig Photos

No: 139 Contributor: Garve Scott-Lodge Companies: Shell Year: 2006 Country: United Kingdom

Arriving on the Kittiwake Platform

In the North Sea everyone flying to or from a platform has to wear a 'survival suit' (yellow here) with an inflatable lifejacket on top. Earplugs and headphones are required whilst inside the helicopter, and with some journeys lasting two and a half hours, it can be pretty uncomfortable.

Photo Courtesy of Shell Photographic Services, Shell International Ltd

Picture added on 14 November 2006

Comments:

In addition (since Garve escaped the North Sea) you now have to wear a rebreather. This is an inflatable bag called an Air Pocket. The idea is that you exhale into it and then re-breathe your own breath until you escape from a capsized chopper. Some re-breathers are now incorporated into the lifejackets.

Added by Forbes on 20 November 2006.

Yesterday late, a helicopter crashed into the sea near Den Helder in the Netherlands. The helicopter had some technical problems, and made a emergency landing into the sea. Seventeen people were onboard. Everyone has been picked up by rescue teams. No one was seriously injured. One person was transfered to hospital, with a light hypothermia. The helicopter was transporting personnel from a oil rig which has power problems.

Added by Marcel S. on 22 November 2006.

A little bit off topic (excuse me :-)): I wonder if some of you might have any photos of a Gazelle helicopter at oil rig's helideck. Unsuccessfully looking such pic for years :-( Thanks in advance.

Kind regards

Added by Stipe on 05 October 2007.

I worked on the Kittiwake hookup and it must have been pretty uneventful cos I cant remember much about it!! Anyway, it wasn't much of a hookup as it came out virtually complete. I think the philosophy behind it was "lean and mean" My chief claim to fame concerning Kittiwake was that I went to Kishorn to work on the loading buoy for a few weeks to bring it back into commission after overwintering at Kishorn.

Added by Alan Clark (Oilslick) on 28 December 2010.

I can remember thinking that the sound of the chopper coming was the best sound I ever heard after working for a month in Equatorial Guinea ..... one month on and one heavenly month off !!!! x roughneck .. and very proud of it !!!!!!

Added by Richard Micel on 26 June 2011.

always love to hear the chopper coming that was my best sound I ever heard after working for a month and I am very happy

Added by Luis English on 14 November 2011.

United Kingdom