Helicopter Manufacturers Face Challenges
Each year on November 1, workers on oil and gas platforms off Australia's northwest shelf face an additional hazard.
They must contend with long distances from shore, rough seas, and operating drilling equipment in deep water. From November to April, cyclones pose a threat, making platforms dangerous and uninhabitable.
These conditions are typical of the severe environments in which oil and gas producers operate, driven by high oil prices and improved drilling techniques.
Similarly tough conditions exist in offshore areas of the Arctic, Russia, and the North Sea, where an inquiry was launched into five helicopter crashes over the past four years.
The launch of an inquiry by UK and other European regulators last month into five helicopter crashes in the North Sea over the past four years underlines the risks involved.
Author's summary: Helicopter manufacturers face challenges in harsh environments.