On the night of 6 July 1988, 120 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, a devastating series of explosions ripped through Piper Alpha, one of the North Sea’s flagship oil platforms. By the time dawn broke, Piper Alpha was in ruins. 167 men would die, only 61 survived.
Six months later a Public Inquiry was launched, led by Lord Cullen. It revealed that behind the disaster was a flawed safety culture within the main US owned operator, Occidental, and in the North Sea more widely. But no criminal charges were brought. It remains the world’s deadliest offshore oil and gas disaster.
Now, 37 years later, The Piper Alpha Disaster (WT), a box-set series from BBC Studios for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer will revisit the events of that night and the months beyond, to reveal a bigger, untold story of the rush for North Sea ‘black gold’, the working families shattered by Piper Alpha and the legacy of the disaster on industry and individuals for decades to come.
At the heart of the 3 x 60’ series will be the unique and compelling testimony heard in the Cullen Inquiry. Revoiced by actors, the words of the men who lived through that night tell a remarkable human story, one that speaks to tragedy, heroism, and an uncompromising quest to uncover the truth.
Powerfully combined with rare archive and stylised drama vignettes, this series will also draw on the unheard voices of Piper Alpha to reveal the ripple effect of what happened back on the mainland. It features interviews with the wives, partners, and children whose lives were changed forever, and the medics, lawyers and journalists who were caught up in the disaster. Over three hours the films will paint an in-depth picture of the tragedy, the forces behind it, and its far-reaching aftermath.
The Piper Alpha Disaster (WT) is an emotional retelling of an unforgettable event with resonances that remain. This is the story of working families, of terrible failures of safety and of a community devastated by loss. It reveals how the oil boom of the 80s transformed entire communities with new lucrative work opportunities, whilst also putting them at deadly risk.
Emma Hindley, Commissioning Editor, Specialist Factual, said: “This series takes a timely and contemporary view on the UK’s worst oil disaster. Told from the point of view of the men who were there at the time, their relatives and loved ones, the journalists who reported on it and experts from the inquiry, it gives a visceral, dramatic account of the event itself as well as the effects on the community and the industry world-wide.”
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning, BBC Scotland, said: ‘The Piper Alpha disaster had a huge impact on communities in the Northeast of Scotland and beyond. The series will tell this tragic story sensitively and comprehensively, drawing on new interviews and on the detailed testimonies of the Cullen inquiry. Over three episodes the series will give the fullest account yet of what went wrong and how the impact of the tragedy continues to affect survivors, relatives, and the industry.’
The Piper Alpha Disaster (WT) was commissioned for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and BBC iPlayer by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual & Louise Thornton. It is a BBC Studios Specialist Factual Production. The Executive Producer is Lucie Ridout, the Series Director is Laura Blount. The Commissioning Editors for the BBC are Emma Hindley and Simon Young, Head of Commissioning, History with David Harron for BBC Scotland.
About BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions
BBC Studios Specialist Factual Productions is a bespoke unit making premium output in the history, arts, music, and culture space. The work is underpinned by journalistic rigour and specialist knowledge, bringing together diverse voices to ignite conversation and challenge preconceptions. Recent titles include the Grierson Award winning Inside Our Autistic Minds with Chris Packham, the RTS winning Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World with Public Enemy’s Chuck D, sumptuous travelogue Tucci in Italy, and cold war thriller Secrets and Spies: A Nuclear Game.
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