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    Melinda Mayes

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Explosions – 2001 (6 total)

03-Jan-2001 - Century Exploration Company

Remarks: The lease operator stated he noticed a low flow rate; he then discovered that the incoming flowline had 2100 psi on it. He removed the sensing lines to check for icing and the incoming SDV closed on the incoming flowline. The flowline parted at a weld and blew overboard. It is assumed that all the sensing lines including those at the wellhead were freezing. MAWP of the flowline was 1480 and SITP was 3800. The operators on the platform evacuated to a rig in the block and there boarded a field boat and traveled to West Cameron 367 no. 1 to manually shut in the well. The flowline blew for approximately 40 minutes and no pollution was observed.

13-Jan-2001 - The Houston Exploration Company
(also listed as Fire and Injury)

Remarks:  A jack-up barge was working as the support vessel for construction being performed on the platform. It was in position and jacked up next to the platform. An explosion and flash fire occurred in the engine compartment and the super structure of the jack-up barge.

28-Feb-2001 - Westport Resources Corporation
(also listed as Collision and Fire)

Remarks:  A M/V was enroute to an offshore location in deep East Cameron. The vessel captain stated that the weather was foggy. He noticed a platform on radar and made a course correction, and then the vessel hit one platform in a complex of four structures (tied together with bridges). The vessel went underneath the “A” platform, between two pilings. A 16 inch pipeline was ruptured causing a flash explosion and the escaping gas burned for about 10-15 minutes. The bridge to the platform quarters was blown overboard (or burned) and fell into the Gulf. The boat backed out from under the structure and picked up the operator personnel from the quarters platform. The boat had extensive damage to the bow and super structure. “A” platform and equipment onboard was totaled, buildings and equipment on the “FVA” platform were totaled, and a helicopter tied down on the quarters building was totaled. The quarters were blackened and the escape capsule was burned. No injuries were reported. 

25-Apr-2001 - Coastal Oil & Gas Corporation

Remarks:  Two 8 foot sections of lubricator were rigged up on the BOPs. Numerous runs had been made during the day. A dummy run was made simulating the logging tool to be run next in the procedure. The logging tool was then run and the logging procedure was begun by pulling up the hole at 30 foot a minute. The bottom section of the lubricator exploded (parted). The winds were 40 mph gusting to 50 mph. Rig employees stated that the sling attached to the lubricator was very loose. Numerous pieces of the lubricator were sent to and independent third-party lab in Houston for metallurgy examination. 

02-June-2001 - Tri-Union Development Corporation
(also listed as Fire)

Remarks:  Two flash fires occurred resulting in minor damage to an atmospheric wet oil tank. The first one occurred from the atmospheric wet oil tank pressure vacuum relief (thief hatch) as welders on the top deck of the platform were cutting and welding in preparation to install a crane. The wet oil tank was located on the second deck and had been isolated from the cutting and welding operations by hanging tarps. At the time of the incident, winds were out of the southeast at 10 to 15 mph. It was reported that welding sparks or hot slag was blown behind the wet oil tank protective tarps and ignited hydrocarbon vapors venting from the pressure vacuum relief hatch. Workers responded to a loud noise sounding like a small explosion on the second deck and observed smoke and vapors emitting form the wet oil tank pressure vacuum relief. The top of the wet oil tank was sprayed with water until it was determined to be clear of ignition sources. The explosion caused the sides of the wet oil tank to swell. No injuries resulted from this incident. A brief meeting was conducted and a determination was made that a tarp would be placed over the top of the wet oil tank and sprayed with water in order for cutting and welding operations to continue.   Cutting and welding operations were resumed, and a second flash fire occurred from the wet oil tank pressure vacuum relief. Hydrocarbon vapors apparently building up under the protective tarp on the top of the wet oil tank were again ignited by welding sparks or hot slag. Cutting and welding operations were suspended and the fire extinguished a second time. No additional damage and no injuries resulted from the second incident. No pollution resulted from either incident. 

18-Jun-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
(also listed as Fire and Injury)

Remarks: Contract construction crew was in the process of removing parts of a gas compressor and cutting a base plate on the east end of the compressor and over a collection tank of good/bad oil. The tank was pumped out using the suction line, leaving approximately 100 barrels of oil in the tank.  The fire watch was using water to cool the wet oil tank.  The platform was shut in and bled down. The welder was cutting over open grating above the bad oil side of the tank when an explosion and fire occurred. The explosion occurred inside the good/bad oil tank at 3:30 P.M., a seam ruptured, and the fire burned until 6:00 p.m.