Executive Summary
- A 32-year-old worker, Lee Hulse, died in an incident on the Valaris 121 jackup rig in the North Sea.
- The death, believed to be the result of a fall from a crane, is being investigated by the UK’s Health and Safety Executive.
- This marks the second fatality linked to the same rig in under two years, following a worker’s disappearance in January 2023.
- Operator Valaris has temporarily halted operations on the rig and is cooperating with the authorities.
Safety authorities in the United Kingdom are investigating the death of a 32-year-old worker, identified as Lee Hulse, following an incident aboard the Valaris 121 jackup rig in the North Sea. The incident occurred on Friday, November 14, when Hulse is believed to have fallen from a crane.
Police Scotland confirmed they received a report of the death at approximately 4:40 a.m. In a statement, they noted, “The death is not being treated as suspicious.” The investigation is being handled by the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Valaris, the rig’s operator, confirmed the fatality and stated that the worker’s next of kin have been informed. “Valaris is offering support to them at this difficult time,” the company said. In response to the incident, Valaris initiated a temporary halt to all operations aboard the vessel. Shell, which operates the Shearwater platform where the rig was working, also expressed its condolences and confirmed it was providing support to Valaris.
This is the second fatality associated with the Valaris 121 rig in less than two years. In January 2023, another worker disappeared from the vessel while it was under tow. An subsequent HSE inspection found a dislodged polymer grating, which exposed employees to a fall risk. The case of the missing worker from that incident remains under investigation.
Community Support and Rig Details
A GoFundMe page has been established to support Hulse’s family and ensure “his daughter is well looked after.” The Valaris 121 is a high-specification jackup rig built in 2014, capable of operating in harsh environments and drilling to depths of up to 40,000 feet. The investigation into the circumstances of Hulse’s death is ongoing.