NTSB Issues Recommendation to API Regarding Helicopter Safety Near Offshore Platforms

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a formal recommendation, designated as A-14-071 and referenced under NTSB number CEN13FA491, addressed directly to the American Petroleum Institute. This directive urges the organization to finalize necessary revisions to API Recommended Practice 2L, which serves as the recommended practice for planning, designing, and constructing heliports located on fixed offshore platforms. The specific focus of this recommendation is to address the safety risks associated with the venting of raw gases, such as methane, in the vicinity of these structures. These emissions pose a potential hazard to turbine-powered helicopters operating near fixed offshore oil platforms. By updating this recommended practice, the goal is to mitigate the dangers posed by such gas vents to aviation operations in these industrial environments.