Argo Media is part of the Argo Environmental Engineering Group, which has a 25 year track record in the oil & gas sector. This gives us a unique insight into the needs of the industry and the very special requirements to film offshore operations.  From FPSOs to large platforms, we know the safety, operational and logistic issues involved and have a professional understanding of the processes taking place, the technology involved and the associated risks.

Our video production personnel are fully trained to meet the UK Offshore Operators' Association requirements and hold the following qualifications:

• BOSIET Safety Training Certification - helicopter escape, survival, firefighting & first aid
• UKOAA Offshore Medical Certification
• Miller Certificate in Ambulance Aid

Our camera equipment works from 8 volt bateries and has been chosen to be light weight for helicopter transit and has been inspected and approved to comply with:

• Portable Appliance Testing Electrical Safety (PAT)
• Certified for Release for offshore use by CAN, Aberdeen 
• HS&E form PT001 for use in Non Hazardous Areas

We have considerable experience of producing offshore training video materials for  a wide range of applications, including fire fighting for the Royal Navy and a number of major oil and gas companies.

In 2007 we successfully completed a major video project to record the flare tip change on Piper Bravo for Talisman Energy by Vertech Offshore, a very demanding filming project that involved all aspects of planning, organisation and location production of a hazardous operation 200 miles offshore with helicopters. Visit the Case Study page for more information.

Case Study

Piper Bravo Flare Tip Changeout

Piper Bravo is a major oil production platform 200 miles off the Scottish coast.  Oil platforms need to flare off excess gas as part of the safe production process.  Talisman Energy, the Piper Bravo operating company engaged Vertech Offshore to carry out the 2007 flare tip change operation, using a heavy lift helicopter to lift the old tip down and lift the new tip into position.  Vertech Offshore asked Argo Media to film the entire process to provide a DVD training and marketing solution to be used to instruct new staff on the process and health and safety issues in helicopter flare changes, as well as to show other offshore operators how the work is done, and to use as a briefing tool for platform operations staff, as well as giving a useful briefing to helicopter pilots in carrying out long line lifting operations.

Argo Personnel completed all the training required for offshore working, and then filmed the flare tip change in high definition wide screen video, using four cameras.  Two cameras were mounted on the aircraft, with an additional camera on the flare deck 250 metres above the sea, with the main camera sited on the helicopter deck.  3D animation of the operation will be created to support the multi camera sequences, which are voiced using a combination of interview and scripted voiceover.