Neo Next has shut down production at its Piper B platform in the UK North Sea due to the failure of an oil export pipeline valve. The incident occurred on January 6, with the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) notified on January 19. The platform will remain closed until the issue is resolved.

History of Safety Warnings and Enforcement

This shutdown follows a series of safety issues. In August of the previous year, the HSE served Neo Next with two improvement notices for the Piper B platform. These notices identified a failure to maintain emergency shutdown valves, which now close slower than designed and, in some cases, cannot prevent the escalation of a major accident. This enforcement action brought the operator's total to eight separate safety warnings over two years.

Broader Operational and Safety Concerns

The Piper B platform, operational since 1993, replaced the Piper Alpha platform destroyed in 1988. Beyond Piper B, Neo Next received six HSE enforcement notices in 2024 and shut down its Fulmar A platform, Montrose platform, and Bleo Holm FPSO for maintenance over concerns about fire mitigation deluge systems. The operator, with interests in 48 UK North Sea fields—many being challenging late-life assets—has repeatedly received HSE safety cautions regarding fire risks.

Company Statement and Future Outlook

A Neo Next spokesperson confirmed an unplanned shutdown has impacted Piper production but stated that production is expected to restart within days. The company's portfolio is poised to expand following a deal announced the previous year to acquire TotalEnergies' UK assets.