The Alexander L. Kielland Disaster Revisited: A Review by an Experienced Welding Engineer of the Catastrophic North Sea Platform Collapse

Abstract

The objective of this review regarding the catastrophic failure of an important welded structure, the Alexander L. Kielland platform, was to indicate that the investigation team should have comprised and involved an experienced welding engineer. Lack of involvement of the welding engineer can lead to misinterpretation of the evidence which results in the incorrect identification of the cause of failure. In this case, the Alexander L. Kielland platform, only the mechanism of failure, which was by fatigue, was correctly identified by the investigation team, this review by the author has correctly identified the true causes that lead to catastrophic failure. Derived from identification of the true causes, i.e. a need for more appropriate design criteria and suitable welding protocols, then by the rectification of these causes, we can suppress the vulnerability of the structure to these modes of fatigue failure operating. The result of this review should therefore be welcomed by anyone concerned with design, construction and the health and safety of operation of these types of welded structure.