Seriousspillsofoilandgas from North Seaplatforms are occurring at the rate of one a week, underminingoil companies' claims tobe doing everythingpossibletoimprove the safetyofrigs.
More hazardous still were fires out on oilplatforms, such as the Bravo blowout in the NorthSea in 1977 and the Piper Alpha disaster, off Aberdeen, in 1988, where the capping of the well had to be done in the face of mountainous seas.