Submarines for Evacuation of Offshore Structures

摘要

Offshore drilling and production installations have evolved significantly since the first tentative steps into the Gulf of Mexico in the 1940s. Advances in platform and drilling technology have taken the industry into some of the most threatening ocean environments in the world and increased the potential for catastrophic incidents resulting in loss of life. What has not changed in that time is the approach to evacuation and rescue from floating and fixed offshore platforms. The risks of the offshore are understood and have been demonstrated time and again: severe weather, loss of well control, fire, explosions, and structural failure. Existing evacuation systems have failed too often to meet the challenge. Ideas can change, even in highly conservative industries. The industry has seen a steady evolution of techniques and approaches over time, with one major exception: evacuation.