Spills ≥ 50 Barrels (2,100 gallons) – 1991

October 13, 1991 - Elf Exploration, Inc.

Remarks: On October 14, 1999, at approximately 7:30 a.m., a helicopter pilot spotted a large oil slick originating from the unmanned platform. The operator, Elf Exploration, was notified and Platform A was shut-in. At approximately 9:00 a.m., Elf personnel arrived and found Platform A completely shut-in and oil still surfacing from the produced water disposal line ("water-leg"). A flameout of the burner heater treater had raised the basic sediment and water to a point where it was rejected by the metering system. The LACT panel showed that the meter failure signal had annunciated prior to the platform's shut in. A meter failure signal shuts down the pipeline pumps and alarms and does not shut down platform production (an oversight in the design of the unmanned platform system). With pipeline pumps not functioning and the well still flowing, oil production continued to fill the dry oil tank until the level safety high sensor was activated. The device tripped at the panel, but the panel failed to shut-in production. The upper level safety high sensor high sensor isolation valve had mistakenly been left closed. Original spillage estimate of 350 bbl revised to 280 bbl.

Last Updated: 10/19/09, 11:52 AM