A rig worker has died while working on the Valaris 121 jackup rig in the UK part of the North Sea, some 225 km east of Aberdeen.
The man, identified as 32-year-old Lee Hulse, died in the early hours of last Friday, November 14. According to reports, he fell to his death from a crane.
An investigation into his death is already underway. As a result of the incident, Valaris has temporarily halted operations on the rig.
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revealed it would be investigating the incident alongside Police Scotland. However, the police are not treating the death as suspicious.
“Their next of kin has been informed, and Valaris is offering support to them at this difficult time. All remaining personnel onboard the Valaris 121 at the time of the incident have been safely accounted for,” the company said.
The rig is currently working for Shell. The contract for the energy giant started in January 2025 and is supposed to end the deal in February 2026. In October, Shell extended the contract until August 2026. During this entire time, the rig will operate in the UK North Sea.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of a crew member on Valaris 121, which was working at our Shearwater platform in the North Sea. Our thoughts are very much with the crew member’s family and colleagues,” Shell said.
