What happened at the Mumbai High North complex in 2005?

On 27 July 2005 a fire broke out which destroyed one of the platforms. The incident tragically resulted in the deaths of 22 people.

The oil field was well established having operated since 1974.

How did the Mumbai High fire accident start?

The accidental fire was caused by a multi-purpose support vessel (MSV) colliding with the platform, resulting in vapour gas cloud ignition. The platform was destroyed within two hours.

What can the industry learn from the Mumbai High fire accident?

Investigation into the incident confirmed that strong winds pushed the MSV into the platform which caused a gas leak. This produced a vapour cloud that quickly ignited on contact with hot surfaces.

After two hours the rig collapsed into the sea leaving 384 people fighting for their lives. The crew launched only two of the right lifeboats - 22 people lost their lives with the rest of the crew rescued 36 hours later.

An inquiry confirmed the location and vulnerability of the riser jacket protection guards were only suitable for smaller offshore supply vessels - they were not considered suitable for larger multi-purpose support vessels.