No injuries after timber beam falls from Hibernia offshore oil platform

The Hibernia platform stands tall above the waters of Bull Arm, Trinity Bay, Nfld. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore petroleum regulator says nobody was injured in a potentially deadly accident on the deck of the Hibernia Platform last month.

The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board says that on July 25, a 1.8-kilogram piece of timber dropped 15 metres onto the deck as a chemical tank was being lifted from the platform to a support vessel via a crane.

The report says nobody was inside the lifting zone on the platform or the vessel, but the incident could have been fatal.

A news release says Hibernia's management are investigating the incident, and the regulator will continue to monitor the situation.

Hibernia was the province's first offshore oil installation, located over 300 kilometres off the coast of St. John's.

ExxonMobil Canada, Chevron Canada Resources and Suncor are among Hibernia's owners.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2023.