A powerful new documentary series is set to tell the full, harrowing story of Piper Alpha, the deadliest offshore disaster in history.
Broadcasting on BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer, The Piper Alpha Disaster will unfold over three episodes, revisiting the night of 6 July 1988 and the aftermath that continues to shape lives and industry to this day.
That night, 120 miles off the coast of Aberdeen, a chain of catastrophic explosions tore through the Piper Alpha oil platform.
By dawn, 167 men were dead.
Only 61 survived.
Six months later, a public inquiry led by Lord Cullen exposed a deeply flawed safety culture within Occidental, the US-owned operator of the platform, and across the wider North Sea oil sector.
But no criminal charges were ever brought.
The new series sets out not just to remember what happened, but to tell the bigger story that lay behind it.
This is a story of ambition, profit and risk, as the rush for North Sea oil transformed communities and drew men offshore in search of work and security.
But it is also a deeply human story.
At its heart are the voices of those who lived through that terrible night.
Their words, drawn from the Cullen Inquiry, will be brought to life through powerful revoiced performances from actors, set against rare archive and stylised dramatic scenes.
Viewers will also hear from those left behind.
The wives, children and partners whose lives were forever altered.
The journalists who reported on the disaster, the doctors who treated the injured, the lawyers who sought answers.
Each voice brings something vital.
Together, they form a portrait of a tragedy that was not simply a moment in time, but a devastating event that cast a long shadow across families, communities and an entire industry.
This is not just a series about what went wrong.
It’s about why it went wrong, and what was learned.
It’s about resilience, grief, and the fight for truth.
Emma Hindley, Commissioning Editor, said the series gives a visceral, dramatic account of the events and the impact they continue to have across the country and the world.
Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland, said it would be the most comprehensive account yet of a tragedy that left an indelible mark on the Northeast and beyond.
The series is produced by BBC Studios’ award-winning Specialist Factual unit, whose work is known for emotional depth and journalistic rigour.
This is a story Scotland must never forget.
And now, for the first time, it will be told in full.
