ITF Unions in Maersk
Danish energy agency: fewer accidents on Danish oil platforms in 2007
16 July 2008
But increase in accidents on mobile rigs.
The number of accidents on Danish oil platforms fell to 3.6 per million working hours in 2007 from 4.9 in 2006, according to the Danish Energy Agency.
The agency calls the development “positive”, but notes the data is based on relatively few accidents so the trend could easily change again.
Maersk is one of the major players in oil exploration in the North Sea.
The agency notes there has been a downward trend in accident rates since 2003. Henrik Andersen of the agency tells the 3F union newsletter: “Even though the number of accidents on the oil fields is falling, there is an uneven development. There has been an increasing number of accidents on the mobile units. These are typically foreign rigs hired for drilling jobs with foreign labour. On the other hand, the number of accidents on the fixed drilling platforms – which mainly have Danish labour – has fallen.”
3F says the agency’s figures show there were more accidents in the Danish sector of the North Sea between 2001-06 than in the British and Norwegian sectors. However, the agency says there are different rules for reporting accidents, which may lead to a situation where meaningful comparisons cannot be made.
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