On December 4, 2015 5.40 p.m. local time ignition on the platform No 10 on the shallow section of Guneshli field (developed by State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) had led to fire, as a result of which 30 oilmen have gone missing. There is still no information about the missing oilmen.
On the same day at about 1.00 p.m. the residential booth on the platform No 501 of the Neft Dashlary (Oil Rocks) field has been washed away by the storm. There were three people in the booth: steam aggregate machinist Javad Khudaverdiyev, 1971, and motorists Bakhman Jafarov, 1961, and Rovshan Mammadov, 1974. Body of only one of them has been found till now.
This is the biggest tragedy in the history of Azerbaijan. On November 22, 1957 the oil derrick fell on the Neft Dashlary field has fallen into the sea during a storm and the platform has been fully damaged. That time the entire crew of 22 people headed by Mikhail Korchemkin, Labor Hero, has died. This time 33 people have died.
Yesterday Azerbaijan mourned the victims by the decree of Azerbaijani President. The decree was posted on the presidential web site only at 1.00 p.m., when only 11 hours was left till the end of the day.
The State Commission led by Premier was created yesterday. General Prosecutor’s Office has opened a criminal case.
SOCAR jointly with the Ministry of Emergency Situation continues searching for the missing oilmen, said SOCAR Senior Vice President Khoshbakht Yusifzada at a press conference on Sunday.
He said SOCAR has concentrated its efforts to find people and extinguish the fire. There were 63 people on the platform at the moment of the accident. 29 people are missing.
SOCAR Vice President believes that the reason of the accident was a strong wind with the speed between 38 and 40 m/s, during which height of the waves reached 8-10 meters. The high pressure gas pipeline (110 atmospheres), which is used to inject technical gas into the oil wells, was unable to withstand the waves, it was damaged and caused fire. The fire spread to the oil wells. The power supply to the platform has been suspended.
According to the safety regulations, the oilmen had to use a life boat. 26 ones were in one boat and 34 ones in another one. Three oilmen stayed on the safe part of the platform. However, because of the high waves the life boats were not lowered into the sea.
“Because of the storm, the rescuers could not approach the platform. On December 4 at 10.45 p.m. the rope supporting one boat has gotten torn and it fell into the sea. The boat has broken when hit the pile. The oilmen have fallen into the sea. They were wearing life vests, but only three of them survived. One drowned oilmen was pulled out by the rescuers later. 26 oilmen from another boat were safe and were taken to the hospital,” Yusifzada said.
He said the main goal now is to find the missing oilmen and extinguish the fire. “We use the helicopters and vessels for that. The works are going on,” Yusifzada said.
* Guneshli 10 platform was put into operation in 1984. It serviced 28 wells – 24 oil and 4 gas ones. The platform produces 1 million cub.m. of gas and 920 tons of oil a day.
