6. Security and economic context

6.1 Safety context

Safety is of the utmost importance for all gas installations, especially those at sea, where operating conditions are particularly difficult. The explosion that destroyed the BP Deep Horizon platform on the Macondo field in the Gulf of Mexico claimed eleven lives and caused the worst offshore pollution on record in the USA. The accident occurred on an oil field. In the case of the Piper Alpha accident in the North Sea, the gas contained in the export line spilled onto the platform, causing an explosion that destroyed the platform, saving the lives of only 62 of the 229 crew members. Since these accidents, Subsea Isolation Valves (SSIV) have been installed on the incoming and outgoing gas lines