Piper Alpha: 35 years on from the world's worst offshore disaster
It was once Britain's biggest single oil and gas producing platform
At around 9.55PM on the 6th of July, 1988, the first explosion struck the Piper Alpha platform in the North Sea, about 125 miles off the coast of Aberdeen.
More outbursts would follow.
By the next morning, three-quarters of the original topsides lay on the sea bed.
167 men died, including two rescue workers.
The story of a survivor
Of the 226 men on the platform, 61 survived.
Steve Rae is one of them.
"After my escape I had quite the feeling of guilt. I felt I had a stigma attached to me, that you couldn't be of sound mind after going through all that," he said.
"I was only 26 at the time, and my girlfriend was expecting. I had my life in front of me and those events certainly changed that significantly.
"For the first ten years post Piper I tried to avoid talking about it and letting anyone know that I was involved because that was the stigma that was attached to it."
The ripple of the disaster travelled much further than the north east, leaving the global oil and gas industry morning.
"I know, working and living abroad, how far-reaching Piper and the events of that night impacted the entire global oil and gas community, and not just that community."
"People always remember where they were on the 6th of July 1988, people who have long left the industry, or were young teenagers at the time.
A tribute to those that lost their lives
109 men on the platform died of smoke inhalation, a further 13 drowned. 11 died of burn injuries and four from unidentified causes.
30 men that died have never been found.
Today, at the Piper Alpha monument in Aberdeen's Hazlehead Park, the names of those no longer with us will be read out.
Steve is the chairman of the trust who maintain the memorial.
"Every year is a year without our colleagues and our friends.
"For us, this is not a particularly special service, it's one we do every year.
"We have to continue to ensure we keep this memory alive."
Learning lessons, 35 years later
The events that occurred have led the way in safety development and opened the eyes of the oil industry to the dangers that workers face offshore every day.
Mark Wilson is the Health, Safety and Environment Director at Offshore Energies UK.
“Those working offshore live and work in a major hazardous environment, thankfully we have learned a lot of lessons over the years, and it is inherently more safer but we cannot be complacent.
“It’s important that we come together, show our respect but ensure that we reflect on those learnings and ensure that we have the ability to question ourselves that we are as safe as we possibly can be,” he finished.
'My experience could be used in a positive way'
Steve is also now the Executive Director of Step Change in Safety, which is an organisation working to make the UK the safest oil and gas province in the world in which to work.
He uses his story to aid the future generations.
"I came to realise that my experience of that night on the 6th of July could be used in a very positive way to influence safety."
"One thing I always say is the hydrocarbons that are in the pipes nowadays, the oil and gas, it's the same oil and gas that was in the pipes 35 years ago. We have just got far better at keeping it in the pipes and ensuring that when it does leak, we have barriers in place so that it doesn't escalate."
Both Steve and Mike highlight the importance of remembering the disaster, to ensure the industry never forgets the significance of the event.
Steve said: "We recognise that 35 years is a huge mile stone but we also have to recognise hat for those that were involved and for those that have been impacted by it, it will very much still feel like yesterday."
Mike added: "We have to ensure that we respect the memories of those who lost their lives, respect those who are directly and indirectly impacted, and we do that by ensuring that we don’t let complacency creep into our industry and remain constantly vigilant.
"Losing a son, losing a father, an uncle, a brother, a loved one doesn't go away after a week, it will be there for time eternity."