Blowout

Robert Orrell recounts the brutality and immense danger of life on an oil rig.

Booknews

Travel writer Orrell was living and working on the an oil rig in the North Sea, when it suffered a disastrous blowout and began filling with gas and oil. He recounts normal life, the emergency, the struggle of boats and helicopters against gale-force winds and raging seas to evacuate workers, and the tragic loss of life. Being a radio operator, he returned later with the firefighters. The 1989 edition was published by Robert Hale, London. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)