North Sea offshore helicopters reaches milestone with 1,000 taskings

The crew providing search, rescue and medical support to the North Sea oil and gas industry have reached a landmark 1,000 taskings.

Offshore Helicopters Services (OHS) have been funded by a coalition of around 20 oil and gas operators to provide 24/7 search and rescue (SAR) cover to the industry since 2015.

Crews regularly train, and respond to around 100 emergency calls for assistance on North Sea installations every year.

OHS Managing Director Martin Stubbs said: “To have completed one thousand tasks over the past ten years is a great achievement for the team.

“They often operate in very harsh conditions, helping people when they are at their most vulnerable.

“The number of tasks reinforces just how vital the SAR service is, and we draw on that experience to ensure we are constantly evolving, using the latest life-saving equipment, and are prepared to respond to incidents at any time.”

When an incident happens on an installation, the crew alerts the coastguard, who then get in touch with the Emergency Response Service Centre, coordinated by Petrofac.

The team has taken over 12,000 calls made up of muster drills, exercises and real incidents, since its inception in 2006.

Graham Brown, Crisis and Response Manager at Petrofac said: “Collaboration, driven by shared purpose, with the team at OHSUK has been key to safely and successfully delivering one thousand taskings; a milestone the Petrofac team is proud to be part of.

“Whilst we undertake emergency response on a daily basis for our clients, as the SAR Tasking Coordinator, we support the entire North Sea energy industry.

“Seeing OHS continually evolve with the introduction of the new fleet elevates the service provision in support of the sector’s safety commitment.”

Two new bespoke Leonardo AW139s helicopters will spearhead the SAR fleet as part of their new contract to provide the SAR service for a further decade.

Search and Rescue Manager Keith Chalmers said: “We have the capability to respond to a wide range of incidents to provide a high level of medical care and rescue provision, but in an extreme environment, and get them to a place of safety as quickly as possible.”