Chapter Ii: Review of Related Literature

Chapter II: Review of Related Literature History of School Papers In the public high schools in the City of Manila, school newspapers were published as early as 1930, although records show that The Coconut, a mimeographed copy and edited by Carlos P. Romulo came out in the school year 1911-1912. For several years some big schools in the public schools in Manila had one newspaper, the first three pages of which were devoted to English and the remaining pages to Filipino. It was only in 1960 when some big schools published separate issues in English and in Filipino.In 1952, formal instructions in high school journalism began. That was the time when Mrs. Sarah England, an American teacher of Mapa High School, experimented on the teaching of journalism. The experiment proved so successful that other four existing high schools followed suit. These schools formally offered journalism as a vocational subject holding classes on a daily double period throughout the school year. Since then, jo urnalism has been under the supervision of English supervisors, but grades were considered as vocational subjects. History of School Newspapers in the PhilippinesAccording to Jesus Valenzuela in the History of Journalism in the Philippine Islands (1933) and John Lent in the Philippine Mass Communication (1964), the history of campus journalism in the Philippines started when the University of Santo Tomas published El Liliputiense in 1890. However, Oscar Manalo, NarcisoMatienzo, and VirgilioMonteloyola in AngPamahayagan (1985) argued that the history of campus journalism in the country started when the University of the Philippines published The College Folio, now The Philippine Collegian, in 1910.They also added that The Torch of the Philippine Normal University, The Guidon of the Ateneo de Manila University, and The Varsitarian of the University of Santo Tomas were also published two years later. Whatever came first, Carlos Romulo y Pena edited The Coconut, the official student pub lication of the Manila High School, now the Araullo High School. It was published in 1912 and it is now considered the first and oldest high school newspaper in the country. In 1923, La Union High School in the Ilocos Region published The La Union Tab, the first printed and regularly issued high school newspaper in the country.Since then, high school newspapers came out one after the other. Among these high school newspapers were The Pampangan, Pampanga High School, 1925; The Leytean, Leyte High School, 1925; The Rizalian, Rizal High School, 1926; The Coconut, Tayabas High School, 1927; The Volcano, Batangas High School, 1927; The Toil, La Union Trade School, 1928; The Samarinian, Samar High School, 1928; The Melting Pot, Tarlac High School, 1929; The Granary, Nueva Ecija High School, 1929; The Torres Torch, Torres High School, 1930; and The Cagayan Student Chronicle, Cagayan High School, 1931.In 1931, 30 out of 106 high schools in the country had campus newspapers registered at the Bureau of Public Schools. In 1950, this number increased to 169; by 1954, to 253; by 1975, to 500; and by 1986, to more than 900 newspapers in English and in Filipino (Escote, A. 2008). Functions of School Papers Journalism is an academic discourse guaranteed by Republic Act No. 7079, also known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991, which protects freedom of the press at the campus level and promotes the growth and development of campus journalism as a means of developing moral character, encouraging critical thinking, and strengthening ethical values.Journalism, the art and science of writing for newspapers, periodicals, radio, television, and online publications, enfolds timely and factual reports of unusual or unexpected events, opinions, or situations that affect man and his environment. These reports are gathered, evaluated, and published, broadcasted, or posted on the Web to inform, to entertain, or to influence a large number of readers. The School Paper Advisers According t o Binoya (1999), a school paper adviser has his own mission.The effective and efficient management of a school paper is measured not solely or the merit of a written master plan that predetermines a course of action to be pursued for optimum results. It should likewise place a high premium on how the adviser assumes the role as a mentor to budding journalists. Mentoring is a challenging endeavor that is truly regarding to both the teacher and the student. The mentor finds fulfillment in discovery and development an eager learner and potential champion.A disgruntled and inept adviser is the primary source of disenchantment among young workers. Campus journalist to succeed in their craft need to find an adviser who is determined to make jobs to make his work a happy growing experience. School paper advising is a real challenge where problems encountered every adviser must be handed systematically, various local studies were presented such as Tanodra(1992) revealed in her study that th e greatest number of high school paper advisers in Metro Manila ere not adequately prepared and trained in information disseminating work.She further revealed that because of their paper advisers’ encountered problems with their students’ staff, their fellow teachers and school administrator or principal. Binoya (1999) indicates that the adviser’s number one mission is to inspire young writers to give the school publication their best effort. These could be realized by pursuing these goals. 1. Make school paper advising a more challenging task and perform the job at high level of excellence. 2. Don’t make our staff for granted. Recognize that work achievement. 3. Consider the staff as a team. Show our concern.Don’t hide the fact that we are as human as the young people we work with. Roles and Responsibilities The following are the duties and responsibilities of the school paper adviser as listed by Binoya (1999): 1. Organize at the beginning of the school year and handle journalism classes with above average intelligence and inclination to writing. 2. Organize the school paper tasks. 3. Undertake the structuring, cleanliness maintenance of the staff room. 4. Administer division test in journalism, correct and report of such tests. 5. Read memoranda, bulletins, circulars, information, etc. or the implementation and dissemination of pertinent ones in the school paper. 6. Attend journalism in-service meetings, seminar-workshops demonstration, lessons, city-wide and regional contests. 7. Prepare daily lesson plans. 8. Prepare journalism exercises and instructional aids materials. 9. Evaluate and record pupil performance in the journalism aids and materials. 10. Train contestants for decision, regional, and national contest in journalism. 11. Set up timetable for the production and distribution of the school paper. 12. Copy read article for the publications. 13.Type corrected articles submitted by the staff members. 14. Work with the staff and layout of the school paper. 15. Submit articles and pictures with the corresponding picture to the printer. 16. Proof-read typeset materials and follow up production of school paper at the press until its completed. 17. Take picture of significant activities in the school and in the community. 18. Accompany the staff members in the survey of the school and community resources and activities in joining journalism contests and conferences, and in going to and from the press and in awarding ceremonies. 9. Prepare with the staff the dummy and headlines of the school paper. 20. Prepare pictures for the publication, cropping, caption writing, indicating printers’ directions. 21. Verify through research and interview facts reported in articles submitted by the staffers. 22. Prepare financial reports on expenditures from paper subscription funds after every issue. 23. Keep and update school morgue and file of exchanges. 24. Prepare financial reports on expenditures from paper subscription funds after every issue. 25.Take charge of and be responsible for all books, property and equipment issued for the use of journalism classes. 26. Keep and update school paper morgue and file exchanges. 27. Execute and submit a clearance form issued by the Journalism and School Paper services at the end of the school year and upon going maternity leave, sabbatical leave, study leave, resignation, retirement, and transfer to other office, school, division or change of assignment. 28. Submit file copies of every issue of the school paper to the office of the Journalism and School Paper Services 29.Executive and submit performance rating together with the worksheet. 30. Exert all effort and implement all possible means to improve instruction, develop right values, and accelerate performance. 31. Any change in assignment, all books and other staff property should be turned over to this new advisers and critic. Incompetence of Newspapers Advisers Pan (1990) has listed down the major characteristics of teacher, Advisers such as: credibility, trustworthiness, and expertise among those that affect the teachers of journalism and advising of school paper.She also mentioned administrative support, lack of facilities and equipment, in teaching load as some of the problems encountered by the teacher adviser. Oliva (1999) mentioned that campus journalism should be included in the public secondary curriculum. He also suggested that school administrators should give their full support in promoting campus journalism because it is where our future writers will get motivated. He also suggested that school paper advisers should start to educate students abut consequence of media and students should realize the importance of responsible journalism.The lack and the needs to have better (trained) advisers Consequently, Roque (1972) stated that the task of putting out a school publication requires not only the ability to write effectively but also the ability to pl an, finance, and manage the campus paper. He believes that one who undertakes the writing of a guide for teaching journalism should include the various details that go into managing a school paper as well as offer helpful editorial tips in ranging from the development of the papers format to writing and illustrating news on feature story.He believes that a good school newspaper of journalism could take up the choice and training of the staff, how to prepare the budget, how to plan and layout, copy read, developing and printing pictures, style books production and relationship between the press and the administration Sicat (1988) believes that responsible leadership is naturally developed among the students as they come to know their duties and responsibilities to themselves and others.He added that like any other teacher in the school, the school paper adviser must know the many behaviors of students in the organization that affect the daily climate He should be the one who helps th e students move toward self-direction. While assisting the needs and problems of the students, good rapport and empathy are stimulating characteristics of a school paper adviser. School newspaper adviser’s attainment and preparation are factors contributive to the acquisition of knowledge and information, development of desirable habits, skills and display of favorable attitudes and appreciation.Complimentary to educational attainment are the fruits of competence and creativity but dedication is one’s commitment. Attitude and values towards work are the story factors on how to measure the performance of a school paper adviser. Important Writing Skills Considering that the teachers plays a vital role in bringing along the language arts to the mind of the learners, the teacher according Vile (2008:1) should involve setting the conditions for learning by understanding how a learner learns.The teacher has to determine the teaching style, the approach to be used, the method and the classroom techniques, procedures and activities to be used in the classroom. The classroom then must create a conducive atmosphere that is geared towards teaching students how to communicate genuinely, spontaneously and meaningfully in the second or foreign language. Thus, implying the use for communicative competence. (Novilen A. Bendebel 1996)Kinsella (1981) stated that the inability to spell correctly and confidently is one of the most serious problems in writing for many people. If language is incorrect, then what is said is not meant. If what is said is not meant, then what ought to be done remains undone (Jean Wrynick, 1986) Velmonte (1980) pointed out to attain success in speaking or writing in any language, one most first have something to say; one has to know how to express what he wants to say correctly and effectively.This ability in correct expression, oral or written, depends upon the development of certain abilities and skills. Lado (1989) stressed that in a d evelopment of oral and unwritten skills, teachers have to steer clear of the tendency to over-emphasize the parts of speech. The ability to speak and understand a language is different from the mouthing of rules and parts of speech. Often those who can use language are unable to recite its rules and to memorize the parts of speech and also those who can recite its rules are unable to se it. Knowledge about the language is not a substitute for language use. The task of the teacher of composition writing is to establish the context for learning. He can do this by exercising control in setting the students’ task, so that the student is free to invent his own ideas, put them into sentences and paragraphs and organize them within a controlled situation. Whom establishing this context for learning, the teacher must consider. Rizza B. Bagalanon 1999

19th Century industrial leaders Essay

Many have debated that the industrial leaders following the 19th Century were â€Å"Robber Barron’s†. However, in this very competitive time period, many new businesses were being formed. It took talented businessmen such as Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Rockefeller to get ahead and keep the companies running, building America into what it is today, the most powerful nation in the world. Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) was a classic Market Entrepreneur, succeeding by creating and marketing a superior product at a low cost. He was a key figure in breaking the steamboat monopoly in the waters around New York City; in the transatlantic steamship business; in the east coast to west coast steamship business; and the builder of the New York Central system, which, in effect, replaced the Erie Canal. Vanderbilt set the example for future â€Å"Industrial Statesman† by hard work and dedication; being fiercely competitive, willing to cut prices to get business; reliability, meaning repeat customers; the ability to master the details of a new business and to act boldly when necessary. When he died he was the richest man in America ($105m) and he left a high quality quadrupled track railroad that played a key role in the development of the Midwestern United States. See more: Satirical essay about drugs In 1873, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) became convinced that the future of industry was in the manufacture and use of steel. Concentrating on steel production, he began his acquisition of firms, which were later consolidated into the Carnegie Steel Company. His success was due in part to efficient business methods, to his able lieutenants, and to close alliances with railroads. By 1900, the Carnegie Steel Company controlled iron mines, coke ovens, ore ships, and railroads. It was these circumstances that the U.S. Steel Corp. was formed to buy Carnegie out. In 1901 he transferred possession for $500 million, the largest personal transaction ever made, and retired from business. Carnegie believed that the wealthy had an obligation to give back to society, so he donated much of his fortune to causes like education and peace. John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) was the guiding force behind the creation and development of the Standard Oil Company, which grew to dominate the oil  industry and became one of the first big trusts in the United States. Rockefeller was naturally cautious and only undertook a business venture when he calculated that it would be successful. After he carefully weighed a course of action he would then act quickly and boldly to see it through. He had iron nerves and would carry through very complicated deals without hesitation. This combination of caution, precision, and resolve soon brought him attention and respect in the industrial community. Rockefeller also was one of the first major philanthropists in the U.S., establishing several important foundations and donating a total of $540 million to charitable purposes. â€Å"Robber Barron’s† to those who didn’t reap the benefits of these industrial empires but these â€Å"Industrial Statesmen† knew what it took to succeed in business. Each had their own characteristics that enabled them to make tough decisions and beat the competition. That Competition has inspired the businessmen of today, and fueling today’s industry and technology.

No need for topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

No need for topic - Essay Example BestBuy Company Incorporation is a multinational retailer that deals with selling of computer electronics, mobile phone products and various other appliances. Other than the retail stores, the company is also involved in the operations related to call-center and online retail transactions. In order to maintain the smooth flow of the organizational operations, requirement for strategic management frames is observed to be a vital part for BestBuy. Few examples can be cited from BestBuy, where application of strategic management has been depicted. Considering the fiscal year 2001, BestBuy Company has acquired the Magnolia Hi Fi Inc., which is a retailer of audio along with video products. In this aspect this strategic decision was undertaken in order to access upscale consumer segment. This is an example of strategic change within the domestic environment of the company (BestBuy, â€Å"About Best Buy†). In accordance with the strategic change during the fiscal year 2002, BestBuy acquired Future Shop Ltd for better prospect. Future Shop is considered as Canada’s largest retailer and has been acquired with an objective to retain the company’s brand equity and also increase its consumers’ base. Another example can be cited from the field of its operation that reflects about the initiative taken by BestBuy Company as an approach to strategic management. The US based BestBuy stores have provided the customers’ with the facilities of differentiated product categories such as computing and mobile phones, entertainment, services, consumer electronics and appliances among others. (BestBuy, â€Å"About BestBuy†). The mission statement of the BestBuy Company is identified as â€Å"Our formula is simple: we’re a growth company focused on better solving the unmet needs of our customers—and we rely on our employees to solve those puzzles.

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Measles, Mumps, and Rubella - Research Paper Example Its vaccine was made and licensed in 1968 (Barone, Crocetti and Oski, 321). (d). Pathogenesis and pathology of Rubella involves measles virus entering the body system, then to the epithelial cells, and finally to the blood where it multiplies (MPS). In blood the virus advances to general toxic level. The general toxic level of the disease is associated with the presentation of rashes, pigmentation as well as koplik’s spots (Shmaefsky, p.83). (e). Clinical manifestations of Rubella appears after an incubation period 6-18 days. The clinical signs include fever, catarrhal inflammation, koplik’s spots, and appearance prodromal rashes on the skin surface (Shmaefsky, p.85). (d). The pathogenesis and pathology of Ruboela involves measles virus entering the body, then virus moves to the epithelial cells, then to blood where it multiplies (MPS), blood and later generates to general toxic level. When it is at the general level, Ruboela is presents rashes, pigmentation and koplik’s spots (Black, p.90). (e). Clinical manifestation of Ruboela are portrayed after the incubation period of between 6-18 days. The clinical manifestations include fever, catarrhal inflammation, koplik’s spots on the skin as well as prodromal rashes (Black,

Marketing Communitations Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Communitations Paper - Essay Example In essence, marketing communication is among the most basic aspects in enterprise interactions, yet the most challenging to state. Technically, it may imply anything, which the marketing sector generates to meet prospects and clients, regardless of if the mode used is the sales brochure, press release, or advertisement (Luxenberg 27). Marketing interactions is largely concentrated on developing items, as desired, to assist develop brand awareness, create hints, raise Web site traffic, pulled shoppers, and attain other goals associated to improving products and services. To finish their multiple projects as well as campaigns, marketing communications coordinators usually work with representatives, freelancers, and design organizations to alongside their in-house employees. For centuries, Sushi in Japan has turned to be significantly common in Western world (Karimi). Currently, Sushi targets everyone young to old as it offers both a bar and restaurant services of separate but adjacent buildings. Regardless of usual reaction of disgust at the likelihood of consuming uncooked fish, Sushi is just a meek and pleasant meal, which may just be liked by its target audience that include children, adults vegetarians, as well as the exceedingly squeamish. Sushi is a remarkably heal dish mainly fish, rice, and vegetables since it has to often be made with fresh ingredients. This is not just for consumer’s safety but also to enhance its flavor that is improved using ginger, soya sauce, and wasabi. For the Sushi encounters, it may be linked to the NBC Bay Area City where at Silicon Valley’s worldwide accessibility and impressive slams at AT&T park just offers the best (Karimi). The Bay Area City is greater than a region – it is the way people participate and where brand belongs. Just like Sushi meal, NBC Bay Area links locals with individuals, events, and places that concern them. The city boost of its events that attract people from across the world, ther efore, collaborating with healthy fast-serve sushi provides them with essential events, content, and characteristics making the joint a center of conversation. Such a marketing strategy of associating with other renowned companies ensures steadiness and proven growth throughout (Clow& Baack 6). Sushi has made the lead in mainstream dining, currently accessible in multiple of buffets alongside grocery stores. The major designated market areas (DMAs) for the clients, therefore, are at major joints in town like NBC Bay Area City. by making the major towns DMAs, they will get support since the NBC Bay Area provisions generate creative prospects for their brand. The town involves their worth regional audience with schedules such as â€Å"Class action,† evaluating public learning matters, or â€Å"Press† at this DMA, technology show and association blog attract even the hardcore individuals. These selected DMAs for Sushi also takes advantage of the 2011 Giants strategies, th at opens even more opportunities since such events are attended regularly and in different places. Once the brand has been identified, people will just be placing orders and Sushi restaurant will grow steadily (Clow& Baack 7). On the other hand, United States census forecast indicates modern trends of growth nationwide. The nation is modifying, which also leads to changes in people’

Dangers of Underage Drinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dangers of Underage Drinking - Essay Example Almost a third of college students exhibit a high-risk alcohol consumption behavior. The authors claim that these behaviors lead to the excessive alcohol consumption that not only affects the performance of the students but also drives them to alcohol dependence. Combined with environmental cues and exposure to stress, past sexual or physical abuse, college students are likely to continue drinking up to the alcohol dependency level (McGuiness & Kelly, 2012).   Exposure to stressors such as memories of abuse complicates treatment or recovery and may cause treated individuals to start drinking again. Individuals consume more alcohol if they face severe stressors. McGuiness & Kelly (2012) also note that lack of social support also serves to increase the rate of alcohol consumption. Users hope to get a time off from the difficulties they face in life though alcohol consumption.The article documents treatment options that are most viable for college students. The motivation enhancement therapy is one intervention that seeks to identify the causes of the drinking behavior, sources reasons for abstaining from alcohol consumption and the emphasis on the dangers of alcohol consumption. The prevention of relapse entails the identification of stressors such as financial stressors, relationship issues and environmental cues (McGuiness & Kelly, 2012). From this identification, there is an implementation of coping strategies as well as measures to curb the influence of the surrounding environment.

Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law - Case Study Example The advanced law of criminal harm is for the most part held in the Criminal Damage Act 1971, which reclassifies or makes a few offenses securing property rights. The Act gives an exhaustive structure coating only preparatory acts to the most genuine offenses of illegal conflagration and creating harm with expectation to imperil life. Accordingly, disciplines fluctuate from a settled punishment to life detainment, and the court may request installment of recompense to an exploited person (Barbara & Marston, 2009). Reflecting on the offence as per the prosecution of Adam Clewes, we learn that he has been involved in two counts involving breaking a window at Bargain Booze, High Street, Leigh, and possession of a knife. According to the report from the constable, during the time of arrest and arrest, no one else was present during the interview. Clewes accepted the first count regarding breaking of a window denied and suggested that it was by accident and the second count in regards to possession of a knife. From the case study involving the case of Adam Clewes and W.H. Smiths and Cheap Booze, there are two individuals counts that comes into the attention and that requires to be dealt with differently. In consideration of the England law the Criminal Damage Act 1971 (the Act) revoked the normal law and statutory offenses of arson. Just a couple of the offenses in opposition to the Malicious Damage Act 1861 remain. The Act is presently the essential wellspring of offenses of harm to property. The common law for the most part treated harm to an alternates belongings as a civil matter heading just to a right to harms in trespass or aggravation. In the eighteenth century, Blackstone expressed the privileges of individual property in ownership are at risk to two types of wounds: carrying away or hardship of that ownership; and the misuse or harm of the assets, while the ownership proceeds in the lawful manager." Blackstone unmistakably named these

Operations Strategy & managent Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Operations Strategy & managent - Term Paper Example cy discovers novel avenues to the configuration of one’s entrepreneurial workings and money matters to produce perfect results in growth, income, and worth (Nicole, 2007). Thesis statement: This paper seeks to examine the subject of operational management and strategy, and how it is practiced in the automotive industry. This paper will put particular focus on General Motors, Hyundai, and Nissan as case studies. Strategic management explains the general course of businesses, often business establishments. It encompasses all the areas of elemental unease to superior business administration boards, or to individuals in the quest for the major causes for triumph and collapse in business enterprises. Generally, all businesses are forever in stiff competition with each other over elemental business needs. These needs include capital, market base, revenue, raw materials, prime locations, and conveyance systems, among others (Michael, 2006). As a result, virtually all ventures have tough decisions to face and make correctly to ensure certain and continued survival. Strategic business choices comprise of the formulation and implementation of relevant goals, the choice of merchandise to avail to customers, the blueprint, and context of relevant policies that control the business’ actions in the market, and the preference of a suitable intensity of span and variety (Scott, 2003). In addition, the blueprint of establishment configuration, directorial coordination, and guidelines utilized to classify and synchronize business activities are essential to guaranteed success. These options possess vital sway on the determining of ensured victory or certain crash of a business, and, therefore, they have to be combined in a way that they always work in harmony, and complementing each other. Successful integration is what enables the formation of a perfect business strategy. Operations administration has constantly been among the main vital competence topics in all companies.

HEALTH LAW AND ETHICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 17

HEALTH LAW AND ETHICS - Essay Example In addition, in every workplace there should be prevention programs provided to employees to mitigate risks and crisis in case of occurrence. It is a fact that employees usually learn to improve their performance mostly by learning from their mistakes. Therefore, management should usually correct employees in a polite way when they are wrong, teaching them on how to avoid repeating mistakes and giving adequate guidance and support. Consequently, as workers repeat duties many times, they learn how to be efficient and improve on their weak areas. However, training programmers are very important since they equip employee with skills that they require to perform their duties, and these will improve employee performance in general and reduce mistakes. Good communication between patients and caregivers will enhance understanding between the two, and will ensure that the best care is given to the patient because the caregiver will understand the patient’s needs and will accordingly attend to the needs. The caregiver should be encouraged to act in good faith and this can be done by keeping a good communication and a warm relationship between the caregiver and the patient. It is ethically required that a caregiver to exercise due care for the interest of the patient and to act in good faith especially when the patient’s conditions are critical. Therefore, administrators should always ensure that caregivers adhere to ethical principles while communicating with the patients to ensure that there is a cordial relationship, which is essential in the treatment of the

Metaphysics Essay 3 Essay Example for Free

Metaphysics Essay 3 Essay PLEASE WRITE A 1250-1500 WORD ESSAY IN RESPONSE TO THE PROMPT STATED BELOW. IN WRITING THIS ESSAY, YOU SHOULD USE THE TEXTBOOK AND CLASSROOM DISCUSSION AS YOUR FOUNDATION. YOU SHOULD NOT TRY TO SUMMARIZE THE READING ASSIGNMENTS IN TURN, BUT ONLY THOSE PARTS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO DEALING WITH THE PROMPT AND FOR SETTING UP AND HELPING TO EXPLAIN THE CRITICAL REMARKS IN YOUR PAPER. IN THIS PAPER YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR OWN THESIS TO DEFEND ABOUT THE QUESTION IDENTIFIED IN THE PROMPT. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO USE ANY SOURCES OTHER THAN THE ONES FOR THIS UNIT AND YOUR OWN MIND. HOWEVER, YOU ARE PERMITTED TO USE SUCH ADDITIONAL SOURCES. FOR ANY SOURCES YOU USE, EXCEPT YOUR OWN MIND, YOU SHOULD PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION IN ONE OF THE USUAL WAYS. THIS INCLUDES THIS COURSE=S TEXTBOOK, AND APPLIES BOTH TO SUMMARIZED AND PARAPHRASED MATERIAL DRAWN FROM ANY OF THESE SOURCES. THE PAPER SHOULD BE WORD PROCESSED AND PRESENTED IN THE FORM OF A PAPER, NOT OF AN EXAM. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE SHOULD BE A TITLE AND INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH WHERE YOUR THESIS IS CLEARLY STATED AND THE PLAN OF YOUR DISCUSSION EXPLAINED. THIS IS LIKE A UNIT EXAM, BUT I WISH TO MAKE THIS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO PRACTICE THE MECHANICS OF PAPER WRITING. Prompt BEGIN BY EXPLAINING WHY THE QUESTION OF WHY THERE IS SOMETHING RATHER THAN NOTHING CAN REASONABLY BECOME THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THERE ARE ANY NECESSARY BEINGS. NEXT DESCRIBE TWO WAYS OF ARGUING FOR THE EXISTENCE OF A NECESSARY BEING. (THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY IN EACH OF THE CHAPTERS. ) COMPARE AND CONTRAST YOUR SELECTED TWO WAYS AND DEFEND A THESIS ABOUT WHICH OF THE TWO SEEMS A BETTER (OR LESS WORSE) WAY TO ARGUE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF A NECESSARY BEING.

The Piper Oil Field Engineering Essay

The Piper Oil Field Engineering Essay Introduction On the night of June the 6th, 1988, an explosion took place on the Piper Alpha oil and gas production platform. It led to a series of fires that eventually melted the platform into the waters of the North Sea, killing a hundred and sixty seven men, and resulting in insurance losses of U.S. $3.4 billion. To date, it remains the worst offshore disaster in the history of the Petroleum industry, defined in terms of both human and financial loss. The images of horror broadcasted from the disaster site, the final tally of human lives lost, and the enormous financial loss shock Occidental Petroleum, the operator of the platform, violently. It has since become worthy of thorough examination, to fully assimilate the numerous lessons it has to offer. Ronin Advanced Systems investigated the events leading up to that night, pinpointing the deficiencies in the fragile Safety Matrix then applied by Occidental Petroleum, in order to provide viable recommendations that can help prevent such accident s from happening in the future and increase the overall Operational Safety of offshore installations. Purpose and Scope The impact of the Piper Alpha disaster on the Petroleum industry was huge. It was on such an unprecedented level that every oil company made it an absolute requirement to document it as a Case Study. The purpose of this research is to isolate the faults and errors carried out by both the management of Occidental Petroleum as well as the crew of Piper Alpha, which directly resulted in the disaster. This report will cover several topics regarding the Piper Alpha offshore production platform, including its location, construction, modification, Safety Matrix and Record, as well as the timeline of the disaster and its aftermath. Throughout the report, we do not include any on-site research from the Piper oil field. Assumptions Our recommendations are based on the assumption that the Piper Alpha disaster could have been completely avoided. This is in turn based on the fact that its management made a series of wrong decisions, which seriously compromised the safety level on board the platform and rendered its crew helpless in face of accidents. The failure of the crew to act appropriately with respect to the sequence of events of the disaster can only be attributed to the failure of Occidentals management. The assumption is also based on the factual and documented deterioration of the safety level on board the platform after its modification to produce gas. Several gas leaks were recorded and a research commissioned by Occidental to investigate the newly installed Gas Lines which found them of extreme risk was ignored. At the end of this report, we will prove without a shred of doubt that the assumption holds; thus, deeming our recommendation worthy of being put into action as soon as possible. Methods The information in this report was compiled from various sources including Lord Cullens Public Inquiry, numerous printed and electronic publications, video footage from the British Royal Air Force helicopters, as well as the numerous support vessels, that were present on site during rescue operations and the accounts of the survivors. Limitations As mentioned earlier, this research is limited to materials and information available in the Public Domain via the Internet, various publications, and recorded video footage. In addition, Ronin Advanced Systems was not able to send any personnel to the disaster site to perform on-location examination due to the following main reasons: The incident happened on July the 6th, 1988. The Piper Alpha offshore production platform melted down to its core. Furthermore, its remains were later detonated and removed by Occidental Petroleum. Piper oil field A hundred and twenty miles from Aberdeen, beneath some of the fiercest waters of the North Sea, lies the Piper oilfield. A joint venture of four companies, known as the OPCAL (short for Occidental Petroleum Caledonia) and led by Occidental Petroleum, obtained a license to explore those waters in 1972, after the British government allowed offshore exploration licenses in 1964 (Miller, 1991). The Piper oil field was discovered in the early months of 1973, prompting OPCAL to commission the construction of the Piper Alpha platform, as well as the pipelines and Onshore Support Installations. Oil production started in late 1976. At its peak, the Piper oilfield produced 30,000 tons of oil daily. Nearby, two more fields were discovered; those were the Tartan and the Claymore oilfields. Two more platforms were commissioned and named after the two fields respectively. The three vast oilfields Piper, Tartan and Claymore are usually referred to collectively as the Piper oilfield. Figure 1: Location of Piper Oilfield with respect to Aberdeen and Flotta Oil Facility As shown in Figure 1, OPCAL built the Flotta oil terminal on the Orkney Islands to collect and process oil from the three massive fields. As the development of the three platforms progressed, more oil and gas lines were laid, resulting in Piper being at the heart of a busy network of pipelines. Its platform acted as both a communication systems hub as well as an oil and gas collection point, before relaying it all onto shore on one main line, namely the Main Oil Line or MOL, which is the line seen connecting the Piper field and Flotta in Figure 1. This report will dedicate an entire subsection to further examine the pipeline network surrounding the Piper oilfield and its neighbouring counterparts. It will also discuss the impacts that network had on the level of Operational Safety on board the Piper Alpha platform and how it actively contributed to its tragic and total eradication off the waters of the North Sea. Piper Alpha Piper Alpha, the platform that exploited the Piper oilfield, stood tall at two hundred metres above seabed. Its sheer size made it seem almost indestructible. It was originally designed for oil production, but was later adapted to produce natural gas as well; a decision that proved to have tragic consequences. Producing almost ten percent of Britains North Sea oil and gas in 1988, Piper Alpha was highly productive. It was deemed a lucrative investment for Occidental Petroleum, shoring millions of dollars annually. It is assumed that at the time of the accident, the platform was the heaviest offshore production rig operating in the North Sea. Figure 2: Piper Alpha Offshore Oil Gas Production Platform Piper Alpha was a fixed platform constructed by McDermott Engineering at Ardesier and UIE at Cherbourg, with sections united at Ardersier during 1975 (Wikipedia, 2010). The platform consisted of four modules (A, B, C and D) separated by Fire-Proofed walls, and arranged such that the most dangerous works such as drilling were as far as possible from the Accommodation Block. At the time of the accident, the platform operated thirty-six well heads using various technologies that were then available. Figure 3, an East-side Elevation of the platform, illustrates its modular design and the locations of the areas of interest to the scope of this report, mainly Modules C, D and the Oil Separation Compartment in Module B. Figure 3: East Elevation of Piper Alpha the impacts of the 1980 Gas module fitting Impact on the platform Layout I Production Level 84 In 1980, a Gas Recovery Module was installed on the Piper Alpha platform. This decision left an unfortunate legacy in its design, as some of the gas compression works had to be sited in Module C, which was later called the Gas Compression Module. Figure 4 illustrates the layout of Production Level 84. It clearly shows how the compression works in Module C were close to many sensitive areas in Module D, such as: the Control Room, the Electrical Power Gas Turbine Generators, the Emergency Diesel Generator, the Fire Pumps Manual Control Panel and some of the Electrical Switch Rooms. The Accommodation Block, where the crewmen lived, was located above Module D, with the Helicopter Pad (or Helideck) on top of it as shown in Figure 3. Figure 4: Production Level 84 Firewalls Hazard: Blast-Proof Walls Since Piper Alpha was initially designed to produce oil, only Fire-Proofed walls were installed to separate its four modules instead of Blast-Proof walls, which are installed on gas production platforms. Figure 4 shows the locations of the Fire-Proofed walls as well as their ratings. The B/C and the C/D walls did not withstand the first explosion. Their failure was the beginning of the end for the platform. Hazard: Fire-Fighting System Piper Alpha was equipped with a state-of-the-art Automatic Fire-Fighting System. It relied on two different sets of pumps for operation; electrically powered and diesel powered. They would suck in huge amounts of seawater via underwater inlets to douse any fires. However, the safety procedures on the platform dictated that the system would be switched over to manual control in case divers were in the water regardless of their locations with respect to the inlets so that they would not get sucked in. That procedure never considered the possibility of a fire or an explosion blocking access to the Manual Control Panel, preventing the crew from operating the pumps and eventually causing the fire to rage unchallenged. ii deck support frame: level 64 Two large gas pumps, designated A and B, were placed in Module C. Those were responsible for pressurizing the produced gas and sending it to the offshore Manifold Compression platform MCP-01, some thirty miles to the North West of Piper Alpha. They were also responsible for providing the gas required for generating Electrical Power that fed the entire platform. They operated in redundancy; i.e. one was operated and the other was put on standby in case the former stopped working. Those two pumps were present on level 68, sixteen levels below production level number 84. Figure 5: Deck Support Frame of Level 68 Location of Pumps A B A pipeline eighteen inches in diameter acted as the Main Gas Line (MGL), carrying the gas production of Piper Alpha to the Manifold Compression Platform, MCP-01. A year later, another eighteen-inch pipeline was extended from the Tartan platform to Piper Alpha, in order to collect gas production from both rigs before sending it on the Main Gas Line to MCP-01. Later on, another sixteen-inch pipeline was extended from Piper Alpha to the Claymore production platform, to feed its onboard Gas Lift System. Hazard: Gas Lines In Figure 5, all gas lines also known as risers were secured with automatic Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs) and Pig Traps to cut off gas flow in an out of the platform in case of emergencies and failures. However, there were no Remotely Operated Shutoff Valves (ROSOVs) on any of the lines that the neighbouring platforms could use in case the ESVs had failed or in case things on Piper Alpha had gone out of control. Moreover, two years prior to June the 6th 1988, Occidental Petroleum commissioned a report to investigate the safety of the platform after the added functionality and pipelines. The report portrayed a fearful image, clearly warning of the dangers of the gas lines. The findings stated that those gas lines would take hours to depressurize, mainly due to their capacities that was defined based on their lengths and diameters. The report went on to speculate that should anything happen to those lines, they could result in a High-Pressure Gas Fire that would be virtually impossi ble to fight. Thus, putting the entire platform at risk, and threatening the lives of its personnel. Impact on the Pipeline network Since the Piper oilfield was the first to be discovered, and Piper Alpha was the first platform to come online, its historic development and that of adjacent fields meant that the platform would become a centre for communication systems, as well as oil transfer, reaching land-based operations (Drysdale Evans, 1998). The belated installation of the Gas Module, and the subsequent extension of Gas Lines, further complicated an already complex network of pipelines interconnecting the three platforms Claymore, Piper Alpha, and Tartan with one another as well as with MCP-01 and the Flotta oil processing facility. Figure 6 shows this complex network of oil and Gas Lines connecting the four platforms and onshore installations. The Main Oil Line (MOL) carried oil from Piper to Flotta. Oil was routed from Tartan to Claymore, via a separate line, and from there it was sent onto the MOL, some thirty-five miles west of Piper. The MOL also carried the main communication cable (originating at Piper Alpha) between the three rigs and Occidentals Control Centre (OCC) on the Orkney Islands. Hazard: Oil Back Pressure The legacy of that design had not only reduced the level of Operational Safety on board of Piper Alpha significantly, but also it had put the entire communication system at risk. The design simply jeopardized losing all cable-based communications with OCC, in case an explosion or a massive rig fire took place. Furthermore, due to the lack of any Remotely Operated Shutoff Valves (ROSOVs) which would prevent the back flow of oil because of pressure differences and/or major failures in the Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs) the design exhibited a Back-Pressure nature that would allow oil from the Tartan and Claymore platforms to flow directly back into Piper Alpha instead of going down the Main Oil Line to shore should Piper Alpha stop pumping oil. That hazard was an important factor in fuelling the oil fire that started in the Oil Separation compartment in Module B on board of the platform in peril. Figure 6: Claymore, Piper, Tartan Pipeline Network spiral to disaster The common image of the disaster can be attributed to a single devastating explosion on board the Piper Alpha. In fact, once it took place, the catastrophe unfolded gradually. During one crucial hour, there were critical moments that it could have been averted. However, an unfortunate series of events led to the total destruction of the platform. On the morning of July the 6th, Pump A was undergoing routine maintenance and its pressure valve was removed for inspection. Another maintenance overhaul, which would have taken two weeks, was scheduled for the same pump but had not begun then. The valve removed was placed between the pump and the gas pipe feeding it. The service crew sealed the pipe with a Blind Flange; a flat metallic disc used to temporarily cover pipes and risers during various routine maintenance jobs. When the Day Shift ended at 6:00 PM, the job was not done. The supervising engineer prepared a Permit-to-Work (PTW) stating that the pressure valve was removed and that the pump should not be started under any circumstance (Wikipedia, 2010). The engineer then headed to the Control Room, where he found the platforms manager busy. He chose not to inform him that Pump A was out of order, and instead signed the new PTW, placed it on the managers desk and left to the Accommodation Block. This was the first critical moment in the timeline of the accident. The failure of the engineer to inform the manager with the serious condition of the pump is nothing but a clear example of terrible lack of communication between colleagues. It showcases a superficial attitude and approach by Occidentals personnel towards Safety. This failure is one of the main reasons of the disaster, if not its main trigger. An hour later, another maintenance job was taking place underwater; divers were carrying out a routine inspection and welding job on one of the pipes. Therefore, and as we explained previously, the Automatic Fire-Fighting System was switched to manual control. This was a safety practice to ensure that divers would not get sucked in through the underwater inlets of the powerful fire extinguishing pumps. It is worth noting that on other platforms Fire-Fighting systems were controlled manually only if divers were very close to the inlets. This practice, which was enforced to ensure the safety of the divers, reduced that of the platform drastically and deprived it from an automated response by the Fire-Fighting System that could have saved it from its fatal doom; yet another critical moment down the course of the horrible disaster. At 9:45 PM, Pump B suddenly stopped and could not be restarted. The pumps were responsible for providing gas to the Gas Turbine Generators, which in turn provided the entire platform with Electrical Power. The sudden stop of Pump B, and the failure to restart it, threatened the total loss of Electrical Power during ongoing drilling operations. This meant that the drilling head could get stuck at enormous costs. The system provided fifteen minutes of backup power, via the Emergency Diesel Generator, during which the only two choices were either restarting Pump B or bringing Pump A online; a crossroads that sent the platform and its crewmen down the spiral to disaster. Pressured as time went by with no success at restarting Pump B, the engineer who was sent down to inspect the pump was forced to consider bringing Pump A online. He returned to the Control Room on level 84 and searched through the PTWs, trying to determine whether Pump A could be started or not. He located the PTW for the General Overhaul that had not started then, yet failed to find the newer one that stated that the pumps pressure valve was removed. He signed off the General Overhaul PTW and returned to level 68 to start Pump A. The reason why the engineer could not find the newer PTW is simple; the pressure valve was in a different location from the pump and therefore its permits were stored in a different box, as PTWs on board the platform were sorted by location. The engineer never checked the PTW box for the location where the pressure valve was. None of the personnel present in the Control Room then was aware that a vital piece of the pump had been removed. The platforms manager assumed from the existing documents that it would be safe to start Pump A (Wikipedia, 2010). In fact, no one noticed that the pressure valve had been removed as it was placed several metres above the ground of level 64. Furthermore, it was blocked from line-of-sight by gas risers. Ten minutes later, Pump A was started, allowing gas to flow into it in the absence of the pressure valve, which quickly resulted in an overpressure the Blind Flange could not withstand. Gas started to leak at very high pressure and in great amounts, with audible sounds that took the crewmen on level 64 by surprise. The leak triggered several gas alarms. However, at exactly 9:50 PM, and before anyone could realize the situation and plan a response, the gas ignited and exploded, blowing through the Fire-Proofed walls. In the initial blast, the Fire-Proofed walls B/C and C/D failed. Panels from the C/D wall were propelled into Module D, destroying the Control Room, the Emergency Diesel Generator, and the Gas Turbine Generators, starting a hydrocarbon fire fed by a mixture of gas and diesel and blocking access to both the Manual Control Panel of the Fire-Fighting System as well as the Lifeboat Entry Points. The platforms manager quickly pressed the Emergency Shutdown button, closing the Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs) on the sea lines and ceasing all oil and gas production, before ordering an evacuation of the Control Room. This should have isolated the platform entirely from the flow of oil and gas. However, Panels from the failing B/C Fire-Proofed wall flew into Module B, rupturing another gas pipe as well as the main oil separation manifolds, starting an oil fire in the Oil Separation compartment, which spread out to all of Module B within a few minutes. Figure 7: The Initial Fire on Piper Alpha. Black smoke indicating an Oil Fire is seen rising from Module B The manager headed to the Radio Room, where he ordered a Mayday call to be transmitted. The Radio Room was then evacuated and all personnel headed to the Fire-Proofed Accommodation Block awaiting further instructions or evacuation by helicopters. Although Occidentals management was aware that a gas explosion on board Piper Alpha would be devastating, the managers on Claymore and Tartan never Shutdown oil production after they received the Mayday transmitted out of the burning platform. Even though black smoke could be seen on the horizon, which meant that there was an oil fire, the managers never suspected the failure of the Emergency Safety Valves (ESVs). The oil fire, fed by oil from Tartan and Claymore, heated up the Tartan Gas Line to the point it failed. The pipeline ruptured, releasing 15~30 tonnes of gas (pressurised to 120 ATM) per second. The gas burst into a massive fire ball that engulfed the entire Piper Alpha platform as well as a Fast Rescue Craft launched from the Multi-purpose Vessel Sandhaven. This situation was exactly what the report commissioned two years earlier had warned against; a High-Pressure Gas Fire that would be impossible to put out. At this critical moment, the fate of the platform had already b een decided, with no viable means of reversing it. The massive fire ball can be seen in Figure 8, as it instantaneously contained the platform and darkened the clear blue sky above it. Figure 8: Sequence of Images taken from a Video Footage captured by a Support Vessel showing the Explosion of the Tartan Gas Line. MV Lowland Cavalier can be seen on the Right As Figure 8 vividly illustrates, the wind was blowing in the direction of the Helideck, which in turn pushed fire and smoke towards it, making any helicopter landing absolutely impossible and an act of suicide. No further instructions were given to the trapped crewmen, who took shelter in the Accommodation Block, while smoke began to penetrate it. Some were seen jumping off the platform and into the water, against what their training instructed. Ironically, those were the ones who survived the tragic ordeal. The actions of two crewmen are worth noting. As the situation worsened, they donned Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and tried to make their way to the Manual Control Panel of the Fire-Fighting System to start the diesel pumps. Those two men were never seen again and their bodies were never recovered. Nearby, and as the situation rapidly escalated, the managers on Claymore and Tartan believed that they did not have the authority to order an Emergency Shutdown of production without first consulting their superiors. The initial explosion knocked off the main communication line with OCC; however, Tartans manager somehow contacted his superior, and was instructed to stay online and continue pumping gas and oil. Meanwhile, Claymores manager tried for more than twenty minutes to raise OCC by satellite phone, but to no avail. When he finally succeeded at contacting his manger, the MCP 01 Gas Line failed and exploded, as they were speaking, at exactly 10:50 PM. It was not until that point that Claymores manager finally ordered an Emergency Shutdown of production, after receiving instructions from his superior, who also instructed him to contact Tartan and tell them to shutdown as well. Figure 9: Sequence of Images taken from a Video Footage captured by a Rescue Helicopter showing the Explosion of the MCP 01 Gas Line. The MSV Tharos can be seen on the Right By the time both platforms had ordered an Emergency Shutdown, there was no turning back for Piper Alpha; the platform was destined to burn for hours more to come, until the pipelines were depressurised, and all the hydrocarbons they carried were depleted. The fearsome heat ate its way at the machinery and steelwork comprising the once gigantic platform in a tremendous scene that horrified everyone who saw it. The final chapter in the disaster was inevitable and quite expectable. The gas line feeding Claymore finally failed and ruptured at 11:20 PM. The third explosion was the final nail in the platforms coffin. After withstanding the intense heat for more than an hour, the Generation and Utilities Module D, home to the Accommodation Block, finally slid into the sea. Most of the platform soon fell after it. Forty-five minutes past midnight, the entire platform was gone, and only Module A was all that remained. Figure 10: Image from Video Footage taken by a Rescue Helicopter landing on the MSV-Tharos as the Final Explosion of Claymores Gas Line take place The Role of nearby Support vessels The Multi-purpose vessel LowLand Cavalier (mv lowland cavalier) Although the Lowland Cavalier was the closest to Piper Alpha at the time of the initial explosion, she was only equipped as a Diving Support vessel then. She pulled away to safety immediately, after signalling the underwater divers to surface. Her role in the disaster was limited to reporting the first explosion. Figure 11: Recent Photos of the MV Lowland Cavalier The Multi-purpose vessel Silver Pit (mv silver pit) The Fast Rescue Craft MV Silver Pit was a converted fishing ship, with a small Landing Area (yellow circular area seen in Figure 9). It was the first support vessel to respond. The largest number of survivors thirty-seven out of fifty-nine was recovered by her crew. Her coxswain, James Clark, received the George Medal a second level civil decoration of the United Kingdom Commonwealth in recognition of his tremendous efforts in the Search Rescue operation (Scottish TV, 2010). Figure 12: Image taken from a Video taken by a Rescue Helicopter during a Winch-Recovery of a Survivor picked up by the MV Silver Pit the Multi-purpose vessel sandhaven (mv sandhaven) Though her actions show obvious disregard for common logic and safe practices, the efforts exerted by the crew of the Sandhaven were remarkable; they raced against time to rescue Pipers oilmen from the raging inferno. In an insane act of bravery, and in defiance to every safety rule and procedure known in the world of Offshore Rescue Operations, she approached the burning platform to a very close distance, launching a fast rescue boat with three men on board that rescued six of Pipers crewmen. However, when the gas line from Tartan exploded, a massive fire ball engulfed the burning platform as well as that boat, killing two of its crewmen along with all of survivors. The lone survivor on board that boat, Ian Letham, was also awarded the George Medal in recognition of his participation in the relief efforts during the tragic ordeal. Figure 13: The Tharos (Left Background) Sandhaven (Small Red Boat) next to Piper Alpha just as Tartans Gas line exploded the Multi-purpose Support Vessel Tharos (msv tharos) The Tharos was a semi-submersible, multi-purpose support vessel. She comprised several roles such as Fire-Fighting, Construction, Accommodation and Diving Support. She also carried a fully operational hospital and was equipped with a massive Helideck. She was commissioned by Occidental Petroleum precisely to deal with emergencies on offshore platforms. On June the 6th, 1988, and by pure chance, she was anchored close to Piper Alpha. She should have been a Godsend; however, upon approaching the burning platform, her crew started her water cannons too fast, tripping the Fire-Fighting system and wasting ten long minutes before successfully restarting it. Furthermore, those cannons were deemed very powerful, thus restricting the Tharos to as where to use them; since the stream could seriously injure or even kill anyone it hits. Figure 14: Images taken from Video Footage taken during the landing of a Rescue Helicopter on the Helideck on board the MSV-Tharos showing the Vessels powerful cannons engaged in Fire-Fighting Operations Figure 12 shows how close the Tharos was anchored to Piper as well as the locations of the MV -Lowland Cavalier and the MV Silver Pit mentioned earlier in this section. Figure 15: Locations of Support Vessels from Piper Alpha Worse still, the Tharos was equipped with an extensible bridge that could have worked as an escape route for the personnel trapped onboard, but due to flaws in its design it proved useless. The extension mechanism was too slow, taking five minutes to move two feet; so to extend to its full thirty metres, it would have taken over an hour. At 10:50 PM, the Tharos ran out of time; the MCP-01 Gas Line ruptured and burst. A huge fireball burnt brightly in the dark sky over the North Sea, and to date is considered an icon of the Piper Alpha disaster. The gas burning was more than the entire consumption of the United Kingdom. The intense heat threw the Tharos back, forcing her to return the bridge into its storage position, and from then on, her crew could only witness as Piper slowly melted and collapsed (McGinty, 2009). Figure 16: Screenshot from a Video Footage taken by a Surveillance Camera on board the MSV-Tharos showing the Extensible Bridge being extended towards Piper Alpha Figure 17: The Tharos docked to Piper Alpha via its Extensible Bridge Weeks before the Disaster Figure 10 shows the extensible bridge docked to Piper Alpha weeks before the disaster. Had the Tharos attempted to approach Piper to such a close distance, the situation would have turned into a nightmare, and the Tharos would have been engulfed in flames just like the Sandhaven. The Tharos continued fighting the fire from a safe distance until the morning of the following day. Divers from the Tharos recovered many bodies from the sea bed and from the galley area of the Accommodation Block, where most of the crewmen onboard gathered awaiting extraction by helicopter. The vessel supported the Fire-Fighting and Well Kill operations that eventually led to the extinguishing of the burning well three weeks later (Wikipedia, 2010). The Aftermath The Day After With the break of light of the following day, the scale of the disaster was unravelled. The entire platform melted down to its core through the night and sank into the sea. Ironically, Module A, once considered the most dangerous section of the platform, remained fairly intact. That was attributed to the fact that the Fire-Proofed wall separating modules A and B did not fail. Of the massive platform, only what shows in Figures 15 and 16 was what was left. Figure 18: Module A carrying a sign with the platforms number and name Piper A Figure 19 : The Remains of Piper Alpha with the MSV-Tharos in the Background Human Loss A total of a hundred and sixty seven men lost their lives in the disaster; of which, a hundred and sixty five were Piper Alpha crewmen. A hundred and sixty four of them died on site and one died later in hospital. Two crewmen from the MV Sandhaven died, along with six survivors from the platform, when their fast rescue craft was engulfed in flames after the explosion of Tartans gas link. Only sixty one men survived, almost all because they had decided to ignore what little training they had been given and jumped off the burning platform. Financial Loss The total financial loss amounted to U.S. $3.4 billion. It was paid in full by insurance companies that insured the platform and the personnel against operational hazards. The insurance companies also covered the cost of the Clean-Up operation. Damage to Public Image Occidental Petroleum claimed that their Safety Record was impeccable, claiming that it was the first time in twelve years that they had had a causality in the North Sea. However, their statement was challenged when various sources revealed that an oilman died four years earlier on board Piper Alph