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9-10
Oil Rig Inquiry Report
Project type: Web Quest
Related topic:
The Ocean Ranger Disaster
The Ocean Ranger Disaster
Subjects
History
Social Studies
Geography
Business Studies
Social Studies
Geography
Business Studies
Summary
Using a variety of Web-based resources, students will research oil rig accidents, prepare a report about the accident, analyze the safety conditions at the time, and provide recommendations on how the accident could have been avoided.
Duration
2 to 3 lessons
Purpose
To create an inquiry report based on research into a disastrous event
Before Exploring
Completing this task allows students to appraise situations critically, from a position of power. They will use their critical thinking skills to create relevant recommendations based on personal research of an event, to simulate the operation of an inquiry into a disastrous event.
Outline the Opportunity
Students work in groups to research various oil rig accidents. They will prepare a report describing the accident and the safety conditions at the time, and provide a series of recommendations on how the accident could have been avoided. Possible topics are:
- March 1980: capsizing of the Alexander Keilland oil rig in Ekofisk field (North Sea), 124 people killed
- August 1984: explosion of the Petrobas oil-drilling platform in the Campos Basin off Brazil exploded, 36 workers drowned, 17 injured
- July 1988: explosion of Occidental Petroleum’s Piper Alpha Oil Rig in the North Sea, 167 people killed
- September 1988: fire on the Amercian-owned Ocean Odyssey rig, 1 killed, 66 rescued
- January 1996: explosion of the Morgan Oil field rig in the Gulf of Suez, 3 people killed, 2 injured
- March 2001: series of explosions on a Brazilian Petrobas offshore oil platform, 11 killed
Revisit and Reflect
Have each group present its findings to the class. Create a list of common safety concerns brought up by each group. Discuss why certain aspects of safety seem to reappear, and what measures should be taken to correct such problems.
Students can then prepare an overview flow chart of the accidents, their common aspects and the corrections (if any) that were done to address the problem.
Print
O’Flaherty, Patrick. "Salvaging the Truth. An Investigation into the Sinking of the Ocean Ranger." Canadian Forum, January 1987, 16.
“Oil-Rig Safety: Getting There?” The Economist, August 10, 1985, 72.
Royal Commission on the Ocean Ranger Marine Disaster: Reports 1 and 2. St. John’s NF. Royal Commission on the Ocean Ranger Marine Disaster, 1984. Taylor, Greg W. “The Tragedy of the Ocean Ranger.” Readers Digest (Canada) February 1988, 150. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation. Report Concerning the MODU Ocean Ranger O.N. 615641. U.S. General Printing Office, 1982. Westfall, Lynne. “New facts Found in Ocean Ranger Model Study.” Offshore, July 1986, 15.
O’Flaherty, Patrick. "Salvaging the Truth. An Investigation into the Sinking of the Ocean Ranger." Canadian Forum, January 1987, 16.
“Oil-Rig Safety: Getting There?” The Economist, August 10, 1985, 72.
Royal Commission on the Ocean Ranger Marine Disaster: Reports 1 and 2. St. John’s NF. Royal Commission on the Ocean Ranger Marine Disaster, 1984. Taylor, Greg W. “The Tragedy of the Ocean Ranger.” Readers Digest (Canada) February 1988, 150. U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation. Report Concerning the MODU Ocean Ranger O.N. 615641. U.S. General Printing Office, 1982. Westfall, Lynne. “New facts Found in Ocean Ranger Model Study.” Offshore, July 1986, 15.
