Heroic act recalled as North Sea oilrig set for removal

Oil giant Total yesterday announced that the company had begun a wide-ranging consultation over plans to take the manifold compression platform MCP-01 out of service.

Six years ago the platform, 110 miles north-east of Aberdeen, was at the centre of a double tragedy in which a rescue craft crewman sacrificed his life in a courageous attempt to save an oil worker, trapped in the churning seas below the platform.

Anthony Doherty, 45, a deck-hand on a North Sea standby boat, did not hesitate after a safety officer, James Kiloh, plunged 30ft from a walkway into the sea below the normally unmanned rig during a routine inspection by a maintenance crew.

Mr Kiloh had become trapped between the central core of the platform and an outer breakwater wall, which blocked the path of the fast rescue craft.

But Mr Doherty, of Atholl Close, Derby, immediately dived into the water and clambered through one of the openings in the outer wall to reach the injured oilman. His selfless heroism cost him his life as he, too, got into difficulties in the icy waters and the 10ft swell inside the breakwater.

Mr Doherty’s act was officially recognised in March, 2000, when he was posthumously honoured with the George Medal, Britain’s second -highest civilian bravery award.

The MCP-01, a 386,000-tonne concrete gravity platform, was installed in 1976 in 94 metres of water, mid-way along the gas transportation system pumping gas from the Frigg Field to the St Fergus gas terminal near Peterhead.

The platform started operations in September 1977, acting as a compression and interconnection platform for the gas pipeline system.

A spokesman for Total said yesterday: "It is the operator’s primary objective that the disused MCP-01 installation shall be disposed of responsibly, taking due account of safety, environmental, technical feasibility, social and economic factors."