Measurements of the Field Strengths on Offshore Oil Platforms for Assessing Radio-Frequency Hazards with Electroexplosive Devices

Radio-frequency (RF) hazards can arise during the handling and arming of explosives used in the offshore oil industry if sufficient RF energy is coupled into the electroexplosive device (e.e.d.) used for detonating the main ordnance. Within the oil industry, it is standard practice to deal with this potential hazard by employing radio-silence procedures which vary widely from company to company. The measurements presented within this paper have provided detailed information on the RF environment of two oil production platforms in United Kingdom North Sea waters. The measurements indicate where the potential hazards are most serious, hence, where more detailed studies are required, and where relaxations in radio silence may be applied.