Gunashli Platform No. 10 fire
Date4 December 2015 (2015-12-04)
Time17:40 local time
LocationAzerbaijani section of Caspian Sea
CauseDamaged gas riser due to heavy storm
Deaths12
Non-fatal injuries31[1]
Missing18[citation needed] (as of December 2017)

On 4 December 2015, a deadly fire broke out in the northern part of platform No. 10 at the western section of the Gunashli oilfield operated by SOCAR.[2][3] The fire started, according to SOCAR, when a high-pressure subsea gas pipeline was damaged in a heavy storm.[2][4][5] As a result of the fire, the platform, which had been in service since 1984, partially collapsed.[6][7][8] Fire spread to several oil and gas wells.[9][7][8] Production at all 28 wells (24 oil wells and 4 gas wells)[7] connected to the platform was suspended, pipelines connecting the platform to the shore were closed, and electricity to the platform was cut off.[8][6] Before the accident, the platform produced 920 tonnes of oil and 1.08 million cubic metres (38 million cubic feet) of gas per day.[7][10] About 60% of the oil produced by SOCAR was transported through this platform.[6]

At the time of the accident, 63 workers were on the platform.[8] According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan, 12 workers are confirmed killed, 18 are still missing (as of December 2017), 33 were rescued; and nine were hospitalized.[11][12] According to SOCAR, people went missing when a life boat with 34 people on board fell from the platform into the sea and was damaged after hitting piles of the platform.[5][8] On 5 December, the Prosecutor General's Office launched a criminal investigation into the possible violation of fire safety rules.[5][13] President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order declaring 6 December 2015 a day of mourning for those who died in the incident.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Пострадавшие в результате аварии на «Гюнешли» 22 нефтяника привлечены к повторному обследованию". Archived from the original on 2015-12-12. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  2. ^ a b "Fire on Azerbaijan's offshore Guneshli field continues". Cihan News Agency. 5 December 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Azerbaijani platform head discloses incident details". Trend News Agency. 6 December 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  4. ^ Aida, Sultanova (5 December 2015). "Azerbaijan: 1 dead, 30 missing, 33 saved after oil rig fire". Houston Chronicle. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Guliyev, Emil (6 December 2015). "Azerbaijan mourns 'many deaths' after oil rig fire". Agence France-Presse. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  6. ^ a b c Bagirova, Nailia (5 December 2015). "One worker killed, 30 missing after Azeri oil rig fire: government". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d Aida, Sultanova (6 December 2015). "Azerbaijan: 29 still missing from burning oil platform". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e Tsurkov, Maksim (6 December 2015). "SOCAR focused on searches, fire-fighting on faulty offshore platform". Trend News Agency. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  9. ^ "Firefighting continues at Azerbaijan's Guneshli fieldd". Trend News Agency. 9 December 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  10. ^ Bagirova, Nailia (6 December 2015). "Azerbaijan says 29 missing after oil platform fire feared dead". Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Azerbaijan still searching for missing oilmen; aircraft, ships engaged". Trend News Agency. 10 December 2015. Archived from the original on 12 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  12. ^ "22 injured in SOCAR platform accident sent home". Trend News Agency. 5 December 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  13. ^ "Criminal case initiated over accident at Azerbaijan's Guneshli field". Trend News Agency. 5 December 2015. Archived from the original on 7 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  14. ^ "December 6 announced a mourning day in Azerbaijan". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-11.

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