§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement describing the sequence and timings of the events of 1 January involving the failure of the anchoring system of the floating storage unit on the Fulmar field, the consequent rupture of the pipeline connecting the Fulmar platform to the floating storage unit and subsequent shutdown of oil pumping through this pipeline.
§ Mr. ParkinsonMy inspectors are currently investigating an incident on the Fulmar field of the kind described, which took place on 24 December. Full information on this incident will only be available once the investigation is complete.
31WPreliminary indications from the operator are that the Fulmar floating storage unit (FSU) and the single anchor point leg mooring (SALM) broke loose from the anchor base at approximately 04.45 hours on 24 December 1988.
Failure of the sea bed latch released the SALM and caused rupture of oil feed pipes at its coupling. The main pipeline was undamaged. Consequent constriction of the feed pipes prevented low oil pressure cut-outs from closing down the main oil pumps on the Fulmar A platform. It was confirmed at 5.30 am that the FSU had moved off its mooring and pumping ceased at approximately 05.35 hours.
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the relative locations, in terms of compass bearing and distance, of oil production platforms on the Fulmar, Auk and Clyde fields to the normal position of the mooring of the Fulmar floating storage unit.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe information is as follows:
- Fulmar 4.2 nautical miles bearing 44°(true)
- Auk 5.2 nautical miles bearing 204° (true)
- Clyde 5.5 nautical miles bearing 106° (true)
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the submarine pipelines within a 50-mile radius of the normal position of the Fulmar floating storage unit with a description of their contents and operating pressures.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe information is as follows:
Pipeline Contents Maximum allowable operating pressure1 Fulmar A to SALM Crude oil 183 Auk to Fulmar Crude oil 148 Clyde to Fulmar Crude oil 348 Clyde to Fulmar Gas 2,175 Fulmar to St. Fergus Gas 2,750 Ekofisk to Teesside Crude oil 1,680 Argyll base manifold to pipeline end manifold Crude oil 3,000 1 Pounds per square inch gauge In addition, there are a series of pipelines to the Argyll base manifold for the recovery of crude oil from subsea completions in the Innes, Duncan and New Argyll fields. The maximum allowable operating pressures in these pipelines is 3,000 psig.
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if there was any danger of rupture of pipelines in the vicinity of the Fulmar field on 1 January caused by the drifting floating storage unit dragging the remains of its mooring system across them.
§ Mr. ParkinsonNo. I understand the only pipeline in the vicinity was the Ekofisk-Teeside oil line which was crossed at 11.15 hours after the Fulmar floating storage unit was under partial control. I am advised that at no time did the unit drag on the sea bottom; clearance above the Ekofisk-Teeside line was approximately 15 metres.
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what route was followed by the Fulmar floating storage unit after it broke loose on 1 January and before it was fully in control again; what was its closest approach to any installation; and what was its approximate speed of drift.
32W
§ Mr. ParkinsonInformation provided to my Department indicates that the Fulmar floating storage unit drifted at 3.3 knots for three hours on a bearing of 110° (true). After four hours the drift speed slowed and the bearing changed to 125° (true) when the unit came under control of tugs. The Clyde platform was passed at 06.34 hours at a distance of 0.7 nautical miles.
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what contingency plans existed for the situation in which the Fulmar floating storage unit broke its moorings on 1 January; and whether there was a secondary, emergency anchoring system on the tanker or propulsion and steering systems for this eventuality.
§ Mr. ParkinsonEmergency procedures prepared by the operator envisage that mooring failure would be dealt with by the use of heavy duty tow lines launched by rocket to the standby vessel and other available tugs. The sector club system involving neighbouring operators provides for additional heavy duty towing, a diving support vessel and aircraft, all of which were used on this occasion.
There was no emergency anchoring system as this is considered to be impracticable for controlling or stopping a vessel of this size under emergency conditions.
The Fulmar floating storage unit has no propulsion or steering systems.