"The Government have clearly sent the message to Shell, ‘you can do whatever you want’. Fortunately due to protest, the refinery remains unconnected to the gas field. If, as Shell planned, gas had been flowing by now, we would potentially all be dealing with a gas leak and explosion.”
British International (BI) is returning to the UK offshore market, five years after its management bought non-core contracts left over from the Canadian Helicopters purchase of several North Sea operators. In May, BI plans to start supporting Shell with a fleet of Sikorsky S-61s in the Corrib gas field off the coast of Ireland.
© British International
BI currently uses Sikorsky S-61s on passenger services to Scilly Isles
Since 2000, the Dorset, UK-based operator has been active in police operations in South Wales, a scheduled service between Penzance and the Scilly Isles in south-west England, and in supporting UK armed forces in England, Scotland and the Falkland Islands.
Chief operations officer Tony Jones says BI always intended to return to the offshore support market after a five-year moratorium expired in May 2005. “This was our first opportunity and we grasped it with both hands”, he says. “Our initial objective was to establish the company on a firm footing: now we are able to consider further growth and move into more aggressive markets. We’ll certainly have a serious look at new offshore opportunities as they emerge – both in the UK and abroad.”
Posted Date:
29 March 2006 - 4:40am