PTTEP evacuates offshore workers ahead of storm

Following reports on the tropical depression currently in the Gulf of Thailand, Thai oil company PTTEP has evacuated some offshore workers and stopped flights to several offshore platforms.

The company has set up a 24-hour monitoring team to watch and prepare safety measures for its offshore operations there.

PTTEP has demobilized some staff and contractors who cannot carry out their normal duties under the current offshore weather condition back to Songkhla province, the company said.

It has also temporarily suspended transportation to Bongkot North, Bongkot South and Arthit platforms as well as exploration and maintenance activities; moved drilling rigs and vessels to unaffected areas since October 30, 2017. However, the company has continued normal production at all three offshore platforms until there is further safety notification.

According to latest OWS report, the tropical depression will weaken and move past production platforms in the Gulf of Thailand on the night of November 3, 2017, PTTEP will then mobilize drilling rigs, staff and contractors back to the sites and provide more updates if the situation changes, the company added.

“PTTEP’s primary concern in all incidents of this nature is for the welfare of employees and people involved. Our immediate and urgent task is to do everything in our power to ensure safety and well-being of staff. We have prepared both proactive and reactive contingency plans in accordance with the international standard to deal with emergency cases and trained staff regularly to ensure prompt, effective and most importantly, safest actions,” the company added.