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On the 15th day of February in nineteen eighty-two,
The oil rig, Ocean Ranger, floated on the stormy blue
Just off the coast of Newfoundland, with a very happy crew;
All at once she vanished into the briny blue.
Ships and planes, they searched for days,
But couldn't find a clue
To the Ocean Ranger
Oh God, what will we do?
The families of those men on board
Were praying every night,
That their loved ones would be found
And hoped things turned out right.
But for days, they searched the seas,
And hope was running low
No one was found, they all went down,
Down, down, below.
Ocean Ranger, Ocean Ranger, wherever can you be?
Ocean Ranger, Ocean Ranger, at the bottom of the
sea.
God bless those eighty-four brave men,
Courageous, strong and true.
I'm sure God will be happy
To have them in his mighty crew.
I'm told she was a sturdy rig
And could stand a heavy blow
So, why did the Ocean Ranger sink?
Maybe, we'll never know.
Ocean Ranger, Ocean Ranger, wherever can you be?
Ocean Ranger, Ocean Ranger, at the bottom of the sea.
At the bottom of the sea
At the bottom of the sea.
Recorded by Michael T. Wall (Down Home Records and Tapes, Toronto, 1982).
See more Michael T. Wall songs.
Note:
Ministerial Message - February 15, 2002
(Lloyd Matthews, Minister of Mines and Energy)
(Anna Thistle, Minister of Labour)
20th Anniversary of the Ocean Ranger Disaster
On February 15, 1982, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians witnessed the worst offshore drilling accident in Canadian history. The
Ocean Ranger, an exploratory offshore drilling platform,
sank during a severe winter storm at the Hibernia oil discovery site. Eighty-four lives were lost on that dreadful night and many lessons were learned.
The tragedy of the Ocean Ranger continues to be a major
influence on our offshore industry. Government has continually
examined the safety issues that contributed to this disaster and
has implemented numerous changes to enhance the safety of our
offshore workforce. Major legislative and regulatory changes were
made to the Atlantic Accord Acts by the federal and provincial
governments to establish strict safety guidelines that must be
followed from the initial design of an offshore project to the
actual implementation of safety systems during the operations phase
of development. These regulations govern the necessary requirements
of offshore safety.
Over the past two decades, government and industry players have
worked together to ensure that the necessary funding is available
to facilitate the important research needed to improve escape,
evacuation and rescue systems. New technologies have been
introduced including cold water survival suits and improved methods
of lifeboat deployment. Training requirements for offshore workers
have increased significantly and new facilities have been
established to ensure that these workers have the necessary safety
skills to avoid tragedy.
The North Atlantic Ocean is a very unpredictable and unforgiving
environment. Industry players have worked with government to
improve offshore health and safety. Their initiative and success in
preventing major incidents is encouraging. New technologies
continue to evolve and are regularly implemented. Government will
continue to work with industry players to ensure that offshore
safety remains the highest priority.
On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, we
wish to remember the eighty-four lives that were lost 20 years ago.
May they never be forgotten.
2002 02 15 10:40 a.m.
