Criminal Case Opened, Search Continues in Platform Fire

Published Dec 10, 2015 2:25 PM by The Maritime Executive

Amidst a continuing search and rescue response to the recent Caspian Sea oil platform fire, a criminal lawsuit regarding the case has been filed by the Azerbaijan Prosecutor General's Office, according to media reports. The news follows the recent announcement that the Azerbaijani government has created a commission headed by the Prime Minister to coordinate rescue efforts and lead an investigation into the cause of the accident.

While results so far have been slim, SAR efforts continue. “The search operation is being conducted via MES and SOCAR helicopters, as well as vessels of Caspian Shipping Company. Underwater search has been suspended due to the bad weather conditions,” said chief engineer at Azneft production union Balamirze Agharahimov.

To date, response crews of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (Socar) have recovered seven bodies of workers from the Gunashli No. 10 oil platform, which caught fire on December 4 due to severe storm damage.

63 people were on the platform at the time of the accident. 33 have been rescued and 23 are still missing. According to SOCAR, one of the two lifeboats carrying escaping workers capsized in rough seas shortly after escaping the burning platform, and the workers aboard are feared dead.

Azerbaijan has asked its Caspian Sea neighbors, Russia, Iran and Kazakhstan, to watch for bodies of the missing on their shores. “As a result of the powerful storm . . . missing workers will be found in their territories,” the government said in a statement.

The fire continues to burn “because of the remaining gas in the technological systems and pipe,” said SOCAR. Five vessels are presently onsite fighting the platform fire.

While other platforms in the area are of modern construction, including several operated by BP, the No. 10 platform at the Gunashli field was a holdover from the Soviet era. The fire occurred when the storm's high winds and waves damaged a natural gas pipeline on the platform.

Additionally, three workers are missing after an accident at another SOCAR offshore oil platform approximately 30 kilometers away. SOCAR said a small cabin where workers were living was washed into the sea during the heavy storm.