Canada: Offshore helicopter forced to return to base

Norwegian oil company Statoil has experienced a helicopter problem during a flight to an offshore installation in Canada, forcing the pilot to return the aircraft to base, Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) has informed.

According to C-NLOPB, Statoil reported the problem saying that a helicopter en route to the West Hercules semi-submersible drilling rig returned to base due to a low oil pressure indication in one of its two engines.

C-NLOPB said that the incident occurred on Tuesday, June 30 when the helicopter was 20 km outside St. John’s peninsula. The helicopter returned to St. John’s without incident and the seven passengers on board were briefed by the pilots.

Statoil said that a wrong sized O-ring installed during maintenance may have caused the oil leak. CHC, the owner of the helicopter, is investigating further, it has been said in C-NLOPB press release.