A major conference is being held to mark the progress which has been made since the Piper Alpha Tragedy.

Thirty years on, Scotland's energy minister, Paul Wheelhouse, said new standards in offshore health and safety need to be reached.

The North Sea platform exploded in July 1988, leaving 167 men dead.

Mr Wheelhouse said the families of those who died deserve to see a safe industry.

"I recall vividly the awful images of the Piper Alpha tragedy, and I know how profoundly the loss of life affected the city of Aberdeen and Scotland," he said.

"The 30th anniversary of this terrible tragedy provides a very important reminder to everyone working in this industry, and in these hostile and dangerous waters, that safety should always be paramount.

"Nothing is more important than ensuring the safety of those who work offshore.

"Through continued vigilance, allied to innovation and dedication, we must strive to achieve and sustain new standards of offshore health and safety, aiming to make the UK Continental Shelf the safest place to work in the global oil and gas industry.

"We owe that to the families of those who lost loved ones on the Piper Alpha, and to all those who continue to deliver the vital supplies of energy our society often takes for granted."

Mr Wheelhouse will speak at the two-day Safety 30 conference in Aberdeen on Tuesday.