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Gulf of Mexico Region

Losses of Well Control - 1999

February 10, 1999 – Union Pacific Resources Company

Remarks: While drilling a 17-½ inch hole, the crew encountered lost circulation. Drilling continued until losses became excessive. After filling the hole with sea water, the crew ran a 16-inch liner to 105 feet below the lost circulation zone, and cemented with partial returns. They performed a successful shoe test after drilling out. The crew drilled ahead, and while circulating out, experienced a continual influx of salt water, so they pulled above the sand and increased the mud weight. They filled the hole with sea water on the backside. With the well static, they tripped out to the 16-inch shoe, and spotted a lost circulation material pill. To cure the lost circulation problem suspected at the 16-inch shoe, they bullheaded a polymer pill across the shoe, but it was unsuccessful. They tried four cement jobs at the 16-inch shoe. The crew discovered that the well bore was in communication with the weak zone previously cased behind the 16-inch liner. The crew ran a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to the sea floor and observed a water flow along a trench on the sea floor approximately 250 feet from the well. They suspected that the influx of salt water on bottom was in direct communication with the sea floor water flow. Noise and temperature logs confirmed that there was no flow across a cement plug set above the problem zone. They concluded that the flow was going along a fault system. They plugged and abandoned the well, and observed no more water flow on the sea floor.

August 11, 1999 – Freeport McMoran Sulphur Inc.

Remarks: The crew had been drilling, and was making a short trip into the casing to condition the mud when the hole started to swab. They circulated bottoms up while below the casing and tripped back to the bottom, where they circulated bottoms up again. Gas was bubbling in the mud. They increased the mud weight and circulated out. The well was taking fluid. The crew stabilized the hole, made a short trip into the casing, and tripped back to bottom, and resumed drilling. They circulated and stabilized the hole, and pulled out to run casing. While the crew was running 10 ¾ inch casing, the well started taking fluid, and they lost all returns. They filled the hole and casing annulus with mud, set the casing, and stabilized the hole. The crew could not establish returns. They cemented the first stage of the 10 ¾ inch casing without returns, and allowed the cement to set for 7 hours. Gas began bubbling to the surface through the mud. The well began to flow, and was put on diverter. They began pumping sea water. The well flowed for 15 minutes before it stopped. They finished the cementing job with full returns and tested the casing successfully.

September 9, 1999 – Newfield Exploration Company

Remarks: On the afternoon of September 9, 1999, while coiled tubing was being snubbed into Well A-2, it encountered an unknown obstruction that caused it to stop abruptly. Upon coming to a stop or shortly thereafter, the coiled tubing buckled and parted between the stripper assembly and the injector head resulting in the release of hydrocarbons to the atmosphere. The pipe rams were closed and the shear rams were subsequently closed, thereby cutting the coiled tubing. The coiled tubing was then pulled back onto the coiled tubing reel. However, a section of coiled tubing remained between the shear rams and the injector head, where the original part had occurred. The blind rams were then closed but did not stop the flow of hydrocarbons because the coiled tubing stub was located across the blind rams. Attempts were made to secure the well by closing the bottom manual valve on the blowout preventer riser assembly, the crown (swab) valve, the surface safety valve, the bottom master valve, and the subsurface safety valve. The valves did not fully close because the coiled tubing remained below the shear rams and across the valve assemblies, and the well continued to flow uncontrolled. The platform emergency shutdown system was then activated, and all personnel evacuated the platform. The well ignited on September 12, 1999, and burned intermittently until September 17, 1999. The well was killed on September 20, 1999. See Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Report MMS 2001-009 for more details. 

December 2, 1999 – Apache Corporation

Remarks: A snubbing unit crew was in the process of running a gravel pack assembly into Well A-2, when the well kicked. The well began blowing out uncontrolled with the gravel pack assembly in the BOP stack. All personnel were evacuated, and the platform shut in. On December 3, the well bridged over. This incident is under investigation by MMS.

December 5, 1999 – Freeport McMoran Sulphur LLC

Remarks: After drilling ahead, the crew circulated bottoms up, and began pulling out of the hole. After they pulled five stands, the well began flowing. They put the well on diverter with the bit in the hole. The well flowed for 40 minutes as sea water was pumped down the well. The crew experienced lost circulation, so they spotted a lost circulation material pill. Circulation was established, but the drill pipe was stuck in the hole. Attempts to free the drill pipe were unsuccessful. The well was plugged back, and the drill pipe was cut. They set a cement plug in order to sidetrack around the pipe left in the hole.

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Last Updated: 06/24/08, 03:07 PM