The statue at the centre of the Piper Alpha memorial gardens in Aberdeen has been granted designated status following a row over proposed changes to the wider rose garden site.
For most, the mention of the name Piper Alpha conjures thoughts of the North Sea’s darkest moment, a disaster that took place 35 years ago, however, for Ian Cukrowski, he remembers the first steady job he had in the energy sector.
“It was a really hard decision for me because I’m passionate about what I do, but the executive director position at Step Change needs some to work on it full-time,” says Steve Rae.
Maintenance backlogs on offshore installations peaked following the pandemic and have never returned to pre-covid levels, health and safety watchdog has warned.
Lights, Camera, Action! The North Sea has seen it all this year, with the world's focus on the energy sector it has not been without its fair share of representation in film.
We are sat in an Aberdeen city centre cafe, three flat whites between us, as Ian Cukrowski, the owner of MacBeans coffee roasters for the past 33 years, tells the story of the best cup of coffee he’s ever had.
“This is what’s protecting our energy infrastructure,” says Ian Garden as he unveils a series of photos showing blocked and corroded nozzles from offshore deluge systems - designed to fight fires in an emergency.
Currently averaging an installation visit around once a week, Reverend Gordon Craig’s schedule keeps him busier than many of the North Sea’s offshore travellers.
Opponents of plans to radically redesign the Piper Alpha memorial gardens at Hazlehead Park have applied for the site to be given special status by Scotland's top heritage body.
“The past is where you learned the lesson. The future is where you apply the lesson. Don’t give up in the middle!” Dale Carnegie, American writer and lecturer.
Hopes remain high that £500,000 will be raised for a revamp of the memorial gardens housing the Piper Alpha monument, despite the controversy surrounding the project.
Aberdeen City Council has made clear it will have the final say over any proposed changes to memorial gardens in Aberdeen, as it consults with survivors and families affected by the Piper Alpha disaster.
Today marks the 34th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster that claimed the lives of 167 people working in the North Sea. A service was held at Aberdeen's Hazlehead park memorial gardens to remember those lost in the tragedy.