New helideck

Norwegian Petroleum Museum

Wind turbulence had created problems for helicopter traffic to and from Statfjord B ever since it had been installed. In anything stronger than a fresh breeze from certain quarters, flights could neither land nor take off from the platform.

— På vei inn fra helikopterdekket på Statfjord B i sterk vind. Foto: Arne Evensen/Norsk Oljemuseum

The reason was that the helideck was lower than a number of other topside structures. That created turbulence when the wind blew from the location of these structures.

Crew could nevertheless get to and from the platform, because the flotel’s helideck could be used as an alternative landing/take-off location if the wind created problems. But this was an impractical and fairly short-term solution.

The answer was to build and install a completely new helideck, and Statfjord B acquired its characteristic feature of two helidecks in the autumn of 1988.

Moss Rosenberg Verft’s Rosenberg Verft in Stavanger secured the contract to design, prefabricate and install the new helideck on the south-western corner of the living quarters.

Source:
Status, no 3 1988. “Nytt helikopterdekk på Statfjord B”.