Alexander L. Kielland - accident

An important part of the documentation project has been collecting and preserving images related to the Alexander L. Kielland disaster. Some of these images are now published in the book The Rig Alexander L. Kielland Memorial Book. The memorial book is primarily a photo book that provides insight into daily life on the rig before the disaster. It also contains information about everyone who was on the rig on the day of the disaster and how the survivors were rescued. This might not be a book one reads cover to cover, as there are some repetitions, but the intention is to ensure that everyone who was on the rig is mentioned. The information is sourced from interviews conducted after the disaster and accounts from the Memory Bank. At the back of the book, you’ll find links to archives where the interviews with survivors can be read in full. Additionally, the book includes memorial pages with photos of those who perished, family photos of relatives and bereaved, as well as quotes that provide insight into the experiences and memories of those involved in the disaster. The book is dedicated to Kian Reme, who for decades was the leading advocate and spokesperson for the bereaved families. Kian passed away in the summer of 2024. The book is published digitally here: THE RIG  Notice an error? One challenge in this book project has been ensuring that all information, especially names, is accurate, as names are often spelled differently in various sources. If you, as a reader, notice any errors, we would greatly appreciate your feedback.

The British has a Oil & Gas Chaplaincy memorial book listing the names of workers who have lost their lives on the UK Continental Shelf. This book is usually kept in the Oil Chapel at The Kirk of St Nicholas, on Union Street in Aberdeen. Each year, a memorial ceremony is held in this church to honor the workers who passed away during the previous year. This tradition began following the Piper Alpha disaster, which is considered the largest accident in the UK oil industry. During the Alexander L. Kielland disaster, which occurred a few years earlier, many British citizens were also involved. Of the 123 who died, 30 were British. In 2024, it was decided that the names of all 123 who lost their lives in the disaster should be included in the memorial book. This was marked by a ceremony on November 2nd at St. Nicholas Church, where Gudny Hansen, who lost her father in the disaster, lit a candle on behalf of all the relatives and bereaved. Watch the entire ceremony here. Families and others connected to the Kielland disaster also attended a separate memorial service led by Chaplain Michael Mair, where the names of all those who died in the disaster were read aloud. It was a moving and dignified day for everyone involved. Some of the bereaved who attended the ceremony in Aberdeen. The evening before, a social gathering was held at the Seamen’s Church, where participants received information, shared experiences, and enjoyed waffles together.  

The Norwegian Petroleum Museum and the National Archives have published an article in the Journal of Energy History about the Alexander Kielland accident, which can be read here. The article sheds light on the work of making archives accessible and the significance this has for those affected by the Alexander L. Kielland accident. During the investigation of the accident, neither the survivors nor the relatives received sufficient information. The Office of the Auditor General believes this may have undermined trust in the commission’s work. In 2019, the commission’s extensive archival material was digitalised and made accessible to all. However, the material was very comprehensive and challenging to navigate. Therefore, the National Archives collaborated with the documentation project at the Norwegian Petroleum Museum to make the archives more accessible. A new search function has been developed, allowing you to easily find information within the scanned pages. There is also documentation on the Alexander Kielland accident in several other archives, from both public institutions and private actors. While the National Archives’ mission is to publish and make archival material accessible, there are restrictions on what can be released. Private entities are under no obligation to transfer their archives to the public and may choose to restrict access or set conditions for use. Publication and accessibility are also affected by GDPR and Norwegian data protection laws. Many of the documents contain sensitive and identifiable information that must be manually reviewed before publication, which is a time-consuming process. Despite these challenges, the National Archives has already published over 200,000 pages related to the accident, now available digitally.