Statoil Plans to Replace Super Pumas for S-92 Aircraft But Not Until 2017
Norwegian Oil Company Statoil had already awarded a new helicopter contract to Bristow Helicopters only 2 months before Friday’s fatal accident involving a CHC Super Puma.
The contract valued at around NOK 1 billion ($115m) is not due to start until May 1st 2017 and means that passenger flights will be carried out exclusively using Sikorsky S-92 aircraft with the H225 (EC225) Super Pumas reserved only for search and rescue purposes.
Statoil released the below statement in Feb 2016 when the new contract was announced:
“The contract awards will strengthen the competitiveness of the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) through opening up for more efficient flight programme that will help reduce costs for the petroleum business.
“This ensures predictability in relation to long-term activities and adds value on the NCS. We look forward to further develop the cooperation with Bristow Norway, and working closely on the new contracts,” says Astrid Sørensen, Statoil’s senior vice president for joint operations support.
“Since 2013 we have seen the number of passengers to the Norwegian continental shelf drop by 30 percent. Increased flexibility to adjust to changed demands has therefore been emphasised in the contract strategy,” says Jon Arnt Jacobsen, Statoil’s chief procurement officer.
The news comes as a petition to remove the Super Puma helicopter from service started by an oil worker following the crash, has now been signed by more than 10,500 people – some of them relatives killed in other incidents.
The petition calls on the CAA to “revoke the air worthiness certificates for this aircraft”, claiming that failure to do this could result in “more needless deaths”.
Commenting on the petition, the mother of 27-year-old oil rig worker Stuart Wood who died in a Super Puma crash in 2009, said all versions of the helicopter should be withdrawn.
Audrey Wood, from Newmacher, Aberdeenshire, said: “Seven years on and my life has stood still. Wouldn’t wish this heartache on my worst enemy.
“All variants of Puma should be removed from the oil industry, men should feel safe travelling to work not fear if they will ever see their loved ones at home again.”
The change.org petition says:
“This petition is for all North Sea Offshore Oil Workers and their families, and the public at large, to finally say enough is enough with the Super Puma airframe. In signing this petition you are asking for the Airbus 225 Super Puma to be permanently removed from service as its been involved in one incident too many, where yet again fatalities have occurred, and you wish to express a vote of no-confidence in the safety of this airframe. We call on the CAA to put the lives of Offshore Oil Workers and the pilots before vested interests, and revoke the airworthiness certificates for this aircraft. Failure to do this will result in more needless deaths”
