To Redandwhite
Methinks you have misheard the statement about helis versus other costs. The truth is that helis do constitute 'a drop in the ocean' compared to the companies overall transport costs, not to the cost of overall production. This was stated to me by a senior Shell rep; helis were approximately 2% of their transport costs.
It is not a matter of me mishearing anything. I KNOW that helicopter costs are a significant part of a platforms budget. The 2% of transport costs quoted to you by your Shell "rep" will relate to Shells total transport costs which will include inter-terminal global bulk product shipping, ie supertankers plying the worlds oceans as part of Shell trading activities.
To The missing piece
it would be too controversial and if there was an accident, which could be directly attributable to the lowering of limits, then the blame would lie directly at them
This reminds me of the time when a rig supply company approached an oil major and suggested a solution to the accommodation problem the major had with a number of its platforms during the construction phase in the '70s. The rig supply company suggested mooring a rig within 50 metres of the platform and having an articulating walkway connecting the rig to the platform. This effectively gave the platform an extra 150 beds for construction workers. The reaction was "it would never be allowed" - "it would never work" - "far too dangerous" - "what a bloody stupid idea". How many cases of Flotels alongside platforms have there been in the North Sea?
In the case of inovation in the helicopter world, I can quote a case. Flare tip changeouts used to be a hazardous, lengthy procedure involving pulleys and cables and tirfors etc. Helicopters started being used but problems of having to build cages etc to drop them into and guide them onto the correct position on the flange created a high manhour requirement operation. Then came along a company which developed a system using a hydraulic winch which "pulls" the flare (and supporting helicopter) down and automatically locks the new flare onto a flange support mechanism. This system has made the operation cheaper, quicker and safer. It was an electricity network company which drove the development work, marketed the system and now get most of the profit from runnning these operations - not a helicopter company. You chopper guys need to progress. Negative thinking (it can't be done, mentality) does you more harm than you can possibly imagine. OK you may have had it rough for a few years. Every industry has to go through these pains. The weak companies will die the strong ones will survive. Its the law of the jungle.
Don't tell me when you go out to buy a car you worry about making sure the dealer makes a nice profit out of you. You will do everything you can to get "the best deal". Oil companies are no different.