Fires – 2001 (total 84)

01-Jan-2001 - Coastal Oil & Gas Corporation

Remarks: It was discovered that an oil mist had been weeping from one of the oil storage tank’s vent/vacuum hatches. High winds had directed the mist toward the compressor exhaust. The LSH alarm had failed possibly due to cold weather, causing a sludge buildup in the safety circuit. The oil storage tank was promptly pumped down. A faulty automatic switch, calling for the pump to activate, was also a contributing cause.

13-Jan-2001 - The Houston Exploration Company
(also listed as Explosion and Injury (6))

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.

30-Jan-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: Smoke was observed coming from the rig centrifuge unit. The unit was immediately shut down and the small fire was extinguished with a 20-lb. dry chemical unit. The fire was located on the bearing housing on the motor end of the centrifuge.

01-Feb-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: The night galley hand observed smoke in the laundry room. There was a small fire detected in the vicinity of the clothes dryer. The fire was extinguished immediately with a 30 lb. dry chemical unit.

02-Feb-2001 - Freeport-McMoRan Sulphur LLC

Remarks: A fire ignited in the molten sulphur storage tank and skid. Apparently oxygen entered a faulty atmospheric hatch cover in the drain skid of the sulphur storage tank and mixed with blanket gas in the tank, creating a small fire. The water deluge system in the tank was activated, and the skid was flooded with water, extinguishing the fire with no damages.

04-Feb-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: The gas generator shut down. The operator attempted to restart the gas generator when he heard a noise. Upon investigation, the operator observed a flame coming from the generator starter and supply line. A piece of ½ inch rope was on fire. It was extinguished immediately with minimal damage.

06-Feb-2001 - Coastal Oil & Gas Corporation

Remarks: The platform gas compressor was shut down when a small, 10-second, condensate flash fire occurred. The operator had drained the compressor fuel filter into the skid and tried to restart the compressor. The starter bendix contacted a flywheel guard and ignited the condensate in the compressor skid. The fire was extinguished immediately with no damages.

06-Feb-2001 - Stone Energy Corporation

Remarks: Operators were transferring aviation fuel from a transporter to the main holding tank using a double diaphragm pump. The fuel source was platform gas, and when the pump was started, the operator observed a momentary flash from the port of the pump. The fuel source was turned off and operations ceased. No damage or injuries were reported.

11-Feb-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks:  A basket containing scaffold tubing was being transferred from a supply vessel to the facility. While swinging the load over a turbine lube oil cooler, the crane tag line became entangled around some metal framing causing the load to rotate. The flagging crew supervisor immediately stopped the operation. Due to the load mass and momentum, the basket struck a purge valve located on top of the lube oil cooler, causing this valve, which was under pressure, to be sheared off at the cooler. The tag line became entangled on a temperature indicator on top of the lube oil cooler. When the tag line became taut, it spun the basket around. The metal basket then came in contact with a purge valve mounted vertically on top of the lube oil cooler for the produced water injector. Lube oil was then sprayed approximately 25 feet into the air, on the deck, and on a turbine exhaust vent, which ignited the oil. Once oil contacted the turbine exhaust vent, the released material flashed a flame but was quickly extinguished. One barrel of lube oil went overboard.

13-Feb-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: A small fire occurred on the gas compressor due to the packing of one cylinder leaking gas that came into contact with the compressor dryer exhaust manifold. The fire was extinguished immediately with a 30 lb. chemical unit, with minimal damage to the compressor.

24-Feb-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: Two platform operators, one field mechanic, and one SCADA technician were working on the platform. The platform operators had isolated the fuel filter in order to change out the filter element. As trapped fuel gas was being bled off the fuel filter, the PSL on the fuel filter tripped and initiated shut down of the No. 2 turbine generator. This resulted in a total platform shut-in due to a loss of electrical power. The PSL on the fuel filter was inadvertently not placed in bypass prior to isolating the fuel filter and bleeding off the trapped fuel gas pressure. Attempts to restart the turbine by the field mechanic failed. On the second failed attempt, a backfire occurred as the turbine was winding down. Immediately subsequent to the backfire, the platform operator discovered the fire in the turbine generator enclosure. The fire was contained inside the turbine generator enclosure and outside the generator building directly above the turbine vent. The fire was successfully extinguished within minutes with portable dry chemical and foam units. There were no injuries and no pollution during this incident.

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

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.  

01-Mar-2001 - Forest Oil Corporation
(also listed as Loss of Well Control)

Remarks: During an attempt to weld the casing head of a slip-on wellhead, gas flow was noticed coming from the +10 valve. Later, unsuccessful attempts were made to stop the flow, which was then coming from the drive pipe/surface casing annular region. The gas flow eventually ignited and caused extensive damage to the platform. The well bridged over and kill operations were completed. There were no injuries and no pollution.

Additional information can be found in the investigation report, MMS 2001-084.

01-Mar-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: The cook had a pot of butter heating on the stovetop. The butter boiled over on top of the stove and created a small flame. The cook turned the stove off and the flame was extinguished immediately. There were no damages.

02-Mar-2001 - Magnum Hunter Production, Inc.

Remarks: The platform operator noticed smoke coming out of the condensate heater-treater stack. They immediately shut in the heater-treater and found a pinhole leak in the firetube. Condensate and some water were flowing into the firetube, causing the smoke.

03-Mar-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: The AT-25 gas compressor shut down due to an alarm that was not related to the fire. The operator cleared the control panel and re-started the compressor. He then visually inspected the compressor and detected flames near the wastegate of the compressor’s right turbo charger. He immediately extinguished the fire with a 30-lb. chemical extinguisher. A leak was detected in the ambitrol braided steel line. The ambitrol came in contact with the compressor exhaust.

09-Mar-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: The air conditioning/heating unit in the Schlumberger logging unit ignited and fire dripped onto the floor of the unit. A Schlumberger employee detected the fire and extinguished it with a 30 lb. chemical unit.

12-Mar-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: An adjacent platform operator observed black smoke coming from the above platform. The operator dispatched representatives to the platform and observed several small fires that originated from excessive oil dripping from the flare boom onto the platform. Life ring, welding insulation, boxes, hoses, etc., were burned. Apparently a TSE shut in the platform.

13-Mar-2001 - BP Exploration Inc.

Remarks: A small fire occurred in the mud pump room. The insulation on the electrical wire going to Mud Pump No. 1 caught fire. The fire was quickly extinguished with two 20 lb. hand-held dry chemical fire extinguishers. No injuries or pollution were reported.

15-Mar-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: Rig welders were welding/cutting on pre-load tanks when sparks ignited some paint and drill pipe rubbers in the electrician’s locker next to the tanks being welded. The fire was extinguished with minimal damage.

17-Mar-2001 - Shell Offshore Inc.

Remarks: The insulation on an air compressor caught fire. Apparently a relief valve leaked hydrocarbons onto the compressor. The fire was detected immediately and extinguished with a 30-lb. dry chemical unit, with minimal damages to the compressor. All repairs will be made and the compressor tested before returning the equipment to production.

24-Mar-2001 - Murphy Exploration & Production Company

Remarks: Insulation that was glycol- and possibly condensate-saturated caught fire while lying next to the Glycol Reboiler. This insulation had been removed earlier from the same Glycol Reboiler. The fire was about 5 square feet and about 3 feet high. The ignition source was probably the Reboiler. This fire was extinguished in about two minutes and caused a small amount of damage to the Glycol Reboiler.

26-Mar-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: On 25 March 2001, the glycol reboiler developed a leak on a 2 inch nozzle under the PSV. The insulation was removed, and a hole was patched with red hand. At 2:30 a.m. on 26 March 2001, the platform ESD activated from the fusible loop on the reboiler. Two hands proceeded to the area with two 30 lb. extinguishers that were used to put out the fire. Water was kept on the fire area for 30 minutes longer. (Glycol saturated insulation was burning).

08-Apr-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: The rig motorhand observed a flame coming from the exhaust on the rig generator. They immediately started the standby generator and shut in the main rig generator. The fire was extinguished within minutes and a fire watch was posted.

09-Apr-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: The platform crane exhaust manifold caught fire while the crane was in the process of making heavy lifts of equipment. It was extinguished immediately with a 30 lb. dry chemical extinguisher.

11-Apr-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: While conducting welding operations on deck plating under the top deck of the 48E platform, slag from the welding operation burned through a protective tarp and into a small section of poly-flo tubing. A small hole was burned into the tubing resulting in a fire (flame height 8-10 inch) which was extinguished immediately with a water hose. The supply pressure (natural gas) on the poly-flo had been bled down as a safety precaution for this welding operation. The welding operation was immediately shut down. No property damage or injuries occurred.

16-Apr-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: A small fire was observed coming from a crack in the exhaust piping upstream of the turbo charger on the platform gas compressor. This event occurred during compressor shut down operations. The fire was extinguished immediately with a 30 lb. dry chemical extinguisher. There was minimal damage.

16-Apr-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: An electric motor on a compressor cooling fan caught fire. The motor and the motor’s windings were old. The small fire was quickly extinguished.

18-Apr-2001 - Shell Offshore Inc.

Remarks: The rig had just completed coming out of the hole on well A-60 after perforating the well when a fire was observed originating from the rig top drive power unit. The fire broke out in one of the top drive, air filter units. The fire was extinguished immediately with minimal damage only to the top drive power unit.

25-Apr-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: Fire was observed coming from the turbo charger on the rig no. 3 mud pump power pack. The platform was immediately shut in via the ESD. Two rig personnel responded with a firewater hose and chemical fire extinguisher. The fire was suppressed within five minutes.

02-May-2001 - Dominion Exploration & Production Inc.

Remarks: Two mechanics were checking out the crane and noticed a small fire under the crane pedestal. They grabbed a fire extinguisher and quickly put out the fire. Soon after, they shut off the gas supply to the crane, which powered the crane’s starter. After an investigation, it was determined that a spark from a pulled wire ignited gas leaking from the gas supply line. Damage was very minor.

09-May-2001 - Shell Offshore Inc.

Remarks: The rig motor man observed a fire in the rig motor room. He pulled an emergency shutdown station and shut in the production on the MC 807 A platform. The fire was due to smoldering exhaust insulation on the EMD. The fire was extinguished immediately.

15-May-2001 - Marathon Oil Company

Remarks: The rig draw works electrical controller located in the drilling power switchboard shorted out on the starboard side at 5:43 pm and on the port side at 7:30 pm and caught fire. Both fires were extinguished immediately with 30 lb. portable chemical units.

21-May-2001 - Shell Offshore, Inc.

Remarks: At approximately 2:30 a.m., a small fire occurred on the rotary table of the drilling rig "Marianas" while conducting drilling operations on the subject lease. The fire was attributed to a small misalignment of the drill string which provided enough frictional heat to ignite the "Nova Plus" drilling mud residue around the bushing protectors. The small flame (4 inch in height) was quickly extinguished with a water hose in the area. There was no injury to personnel, no pollution, and no damage to equipment resulting from this incident.

27-May-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation
(also listed as Other)

Remarks: The pipelay vessel, was installing the Marlin Subsea Well no. 1 riser in approximately 3,400 feet of water. The riser-retaining device (Chinese fingers) holding the riser apparently slipped. The retaining straps failed causing the entire 7,500 feet of riser to unspool to the ocean floor. The 28 foot diameter spool came loose from its sea fastenings and traveled toward the vessel stern causing deck equipment damage. During the unspooling, a crewmember entered the water to avoid the riser. The individual climbed out of the water with no injury. Small fires occurred as a result of the bearings on the spool becoming overheated during the unspooling process. The fires were immediately extinguished with no injuries.

01-Jun-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks:  A small fire occurred in the laundry room in the rig quarters. It was extinguished immediately.

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

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.

03-Jun-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: A missing clamp on the exhaust piping from the engine compartment to the muffler in the front of the compressor caused the exhaust to leak, blowing heat on the compressor enclosure insulation which later caught fire. Within five minutes after the fire started, it was extinguished with a 20 lb. dry chemical and deluge water hose unit.

09-Jun-2001 - Stone Energy Corporation

Remarks: An alarm sounded on the platform and the operator went down to the control panel to answer it. The BSL on the Heater Treater had tripped. He then looked out from the quarters building and saw smoke coming out of the Heater Treater stack. He immediately hit the ESD, then alerted the crew and called for the standby boat to come and assist. Another operator started the fire pump as they fought the fire with hand-held extinguishers. However, due to the heat caused by the fire, the oil in the burners kept re-igniting. They then used fire hoses to extinguish and cool down the vessel.

18-Jun-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
(also listed as Explosion 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.

23-Jun-2001 - BP Exploration & Production Inc.

Remarks: The engine failed on a gas compressor for the platform. The operator’s representative observed a 6 inch flame coming from the exhaust of the compressor turbo charger. The flame self extinguished within moments.

05-Jul-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: A welder was using a torch during construction on a Delmar Analyzer Vent when the torch ignited the vent gases. The fire watch on duty observed the flame and immediately extinguished it with a portable 20 lb. dry chemical fire extinguisher. No damage to the equipment occurred as a result of the fire.

10-Jul-2001 - Spinnaker Exploration Company, L. L. C.

Remarks: Exhaust overheated due to simultaneous operation of two pumps from one EMD diesel motor. Normally, one pump is put on one EMD DC generator and one pump on another EMD generator.

19-Jul-2001 - Shell Deepwater Production Inc.

Remarks: A small fire occurred on a rig air compressor onboard the Auger TLP. Rig personnel immediately activated the ESD at the drill floor shutting in all production operations. The fire was quickly extinguished using one 30 lb. hand-held unit. The incident resulted from a loss of lubrication to a bearing which became overheated causing an internal flash of the lube oil. Damage to the air compressor was minimal. No injuries and no pollution were reported.

21-Jul-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: A rig welder was working above Mud Pit No. 1, installing an access hatch through deck plating. While the welder was cutting through the deck with a cutting torch, oil base mud residue, apparently remaining on backside of a beam, ignited under the deck plate. The firewatch saw the fire immediately and turned the water hose towards the burning area. The fire was on the backside of the beam and water did not reach the flame, so a fire extinguisher was aimed at the area. Other personnel had, by this time, activated another fire hose and aimed that hose at the area also. This larger amount of water did extinguish the fire. The area was kept under observation for an extended period of time to guard against re-ignition. This same pit had been cleaned by tank cleaners, and approximately one foot of water remained in the pit. Also, a complete hot work inspection was not performed.

21-Jul-2001 - Unocal Exploration Corporation

Remarks: The operator was in the process of replacing a 4 inch metal line under the platform cellar deck by cutting a flange off the line with a torch when a small fire occurred. While cutting the bolts off the flange, hot slag fell on to the disposal sump drain pipe, and a small flash fire occurred. The firewatch immediately extinguished the fire.

29-Jul-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: The crane operator noticed smoke coming out of the vent in generator room. The fire alarm was sounded. The fire team entered the room and found the air filter on No. 3 generator smoking. The fire team used a fire extinguisher on the filter and shut down the generator. The operator shut down drilling operations until the generator was repaired. The generator brush holder grounded causing the exciter to flash flames sucking them into the engine intake filters.

30-Jul-2001 - Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

Remarks: A fire occurred while changing filters on Heat Medium skid. The night operators opened the filter canisters to cool for 4 hours. The operators came back and proceeded to take out the filters and put them in a used plastic filter drum to transport them to a drain skid. An operator noticed the filters smoking in drum, so he slid drum away from skid. The filters caught fire a couple minutes later. The operator put out the fire with a fire extinguisher.

09-Aug-2001 - Dominion Exploration & Production, Inc.
(also listed as Injury)

Remarks: A small fire caused a first-degree burn on an employee’s left forearm. The fire occurred when the employee was manually draining condensate from a vapor recovery compressor 2^nd stage scrubber. The condensate made contact with the exhaust manifold and ignited. The fire was extinguished immediately with a 30 lb. dry chemical unit. This was not a lost time injury.

12-Aug-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: While filling the lube oil day tank on no. 1 reciprocating compressor, the pump was left unattended to address a problem with same compressor unit. The pump overfilled the day tank, and the tank lost integrity at the seam, spraying approximately one quart of lube oil onto engine exhaust and causing a small flash fire. The fire was immediately extinguished using a 30 lb. dry chemical fire extinguisher. The pump was shut down. Approximately half of the remaining oil in the tank leaked into a secured containment area. The area was cleaned up and monitored.

13-Aug-2001 - Samedan Oil Corporation

Remarks: During welding operations on the production sub-cellar deck level, a small tarp caught on fire. It was extinguished immediately with water, damaging the welding tarp only.

25-Aug-2001 - Apache Oil Corporation

Remarks: A flash fire occurred at the gas compressor exhaust discharge point. It lasted five seconds and extinguished itself. The blowdown valve was left in local position instead of being directed to the vent boom. There were no damages.

27-Aug-2001 - Vastar Resources, Inc.

Remarks: The platform gas turbine generator caught on fire and tripped a breaker. Upon investigation, an employee observed a small fire with smoke originating from the enclosed generator. The fire went out immediately without being extinguished. The operator removed the generator cover and observed charred electrical wiring and insulation.

30-Aug-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: Two company employees were attempting to start the no. 1 platform gas compressor when a fire occurred. They had been repairing the compressor and were trying to start the compressor engine when a fire was observed originating from the engine starter. The fire burned out an overhead TSE and shut in the platform’s safety system. The fire was immediately extinguished with two 30 lb. dry chemical units. There was minimal damage to the starter wiring and gauges.

02-Sep-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: An oil seal on a new turbine compressor leaked onto a turbine and ignited. The fire was immediately extinguished with a cup of water. The turbine was then shut in. The leaking seal was then quickly repaired with sealant.

09-Sept-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: While attempting to load a compressor, the operator observed black smoke coming from the unit. The operator immediately shut down the unit and extinguished the fire with a 30 lb. extinguisher. An investigation revealed that a rubber hose (radiator type) expansion connection burned, causing melting rubber to drip on the side of the engine; this ignited oil residue on the side of the engine and down the skid pan base.

10-Sep-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: Two mechanics were working on a gas compressor located on the utility deck. The utility deck is the second deck and is immediately beneath the drill deck. The workers heard a pop and a loud hissing sound. When they looked toward the east, where the sound came from, they saw white smoke coming from the electrically powered no. 2 Instrument Air Compressor enclosure which was located about 30 feet away. A crewmember notified the Main Control Room by radio, while the other crewmember took a 30 lb. handheld dry chemical portable fire extinguisher containing dry potassium bicarbonate (Purple K) and discharged it into the enclosure from two sides (the front and rear where smoke was venting out). One of the platform personnel then electrically isolated the package by opening the breaker nearby. The Main Control operator sounded a General Alarm and made a PA announcement from the control room. The Incident Command System was established, and the fire team was dispatched to the scene. Everyone not involved in fire fighting mustered to the lifeboats. The fire team arrived and discharged a second 3 lb. dry chemical fire extinguisher and applied cooling water from one hose reel and one fixed firewater monitor. The fire was declared out about 15 minutes after the workers saw the white smoke.

17-Sep-2001 - Kelley Oil Corporation

Remarks: While performing cutting operations on overhead piping at the production deck level, slag fell 30 to 40 feet and ignited a small leak from a flange at the +10 level on the contractor’s 20 inch pipeline that crosses the platform. It was noticed by the posted fire watch and was extinguished within approximately 1 to 1½ minutes with one blast from a dry chemical fire extinguisher. There were no equipment damages and no personnel injuries. Until the contractor repairs/tightens the flange, there will be no hot work performed. The pressure on the pipeline runs 900 to 1,000 psi.

24-Sep-2001 - Exxon Mobil Corporation

Remarks: A contract employee smelled burning plastic coming from a temporary rental building. Upon investigation, it was discovered that a clothes dryer was on fire in the building. The fire was extinguished with handheld 20 lb. dry chemical units and water from the platform wash down pump.

30-Sep-2001 - Apache Oil Corporation

Remarks: The platform’s gas compressor cat engine shut down due to a high exhaust temperature code signal to the compressor panel. Upon investigation by the operator’s field mechanic, a 3 to 4 inch flame was observed originating from the exhaust manifold. The fire was due to a leaking antifreeze line between the compressor turbo-charger and the manifold. The flame was extinguished and the line was repaired.

30-Sep-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: A small fire was detected in the rig shale shaker house by a contract employee who immediately extinguished it with a 30 lb. dry chemical handheld unit. The paint below the rig degasser apparently provided fuel to the fire. There had been welding and burning in this area prior to the fire. There was minimal damage.

01-Oct-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: A small fire occurred in the shale shaker house when welders were modifying the drill cutting ditch. The fire watch detected a small flame under the middle shale shaker and immediately extinguished it with a wet broom. The operator conducted an investigation and corrective action was implemented.

03-Oct-2001 - Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

Remarks: While performing construction work on the boat landing, some slag fell from a welder’s torch and burned through a small nylon hose. This line carried supply gas to a nearby pump. The hose was only 5 feet from where the cutting was taking place. The fire was extinguished with a water hose.

10-Oct-2001 - Newfield Exploration Company

Remarks: While personnel were in their quarters, the lights went out. They then walked to the generator building, where they noticed fire coming out of the generator power pack. The generator was running at idle and it was displaying a reading of abnormal voltage. One of the personnel then shut in the platform. Two personnel grabbed a 30 lb. hand held dry chemical fire extinguisher and put out the fire.

17-Oct-2001 - Vastar Offshore, Inc

Remarks: While removing and replacing hand rail sections on the main deck, slag from a cutting operation fell on top of a tarp covering the sump tank on a lower deck causing a small smoldering fire.

25-Oct-2001 - Shell Offshore Inc.

Remarks: Smoke was observed coming from the exhaust of the number two-diesel rig fleet engine. Upon further investigation, a flash fire was detected from the blower and exhaust on the engine. The fire was extinguished immediately with minimal damage.

  26-Oct-2001 - Exxon Mobil Oil Corporation

Remarks: A fuel leak at the No. 4 engine occurred. Fuel was leaking from the intake line to the secondary fuel filter (O-ring at threads). The fuel sprayed on the hot engine/wiring, igniting a fire. A contract employee attempted to fight the fire with a handheld extinguisher. The rig welder came to the west side of the engine room after seeing smoke. He told the employee to get out of the engine room, closed the doors, then pulled pins to discharge CO₂ canisters. The rig mechanic had gone to the opposite (east) side of the engine room after hearing the fire alarm and seeing smoke. He then announced over the speaker that there was a fire in the motor room. He then pulled CO₂ pins on his side of the building. The fire team mustered and went to the scene. They entered the engine room. The initial fire had been extinguished; however, wind entering from the open door re-ignited the smoldering boxes of filters that were stored in an area above the No. 4 engine. The fire team fought the secondary fire with a fire hose.

01-Nov-2001 - Texaco Exploration and Production Inc.

Remarks: A small fire with flames of approximately one foot was observed on the engine of the west crane. The engine was immediately shut down and the fire was extinguished using a 30 lb. dry chemical fire extinguisher. The duration of this event is estimated at less than a minute, and no equipment damage was reported. The initial indication is that the fire was the result of a small oil leak from a hydraulic hose which allowed oil to contact the exhaust manifold of the engine.

02-Nov-2001 - PetroQuest Oil & Gas, L.L.C

Remarks: A contract employee was making his rounds on platform J when he noticed liquid on fire dripping from the stack flange of the heater treater. He then put the small fire out with a 30 lb. dry chemical handheld unit and called for assistance. He then shut in the heater treater. When the other facility personnel arrived, an Emergency Shut Down (ESD) was initiated. The fire extinguishing system to the heater treater was activated and the crew began spraying water onto the heater treater stack that had become cherry red. Water was continuously sprayed onto the stack (approximately one hour) until it had cooled down and quit smoking.

06-Nov-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks: In preparation for the initial dive of the saturation bell, the two electrical diesel-fired water heaters used for environmental control in the bell were started. Both units ran for approximately 21 hours. At approximately 1800 hours both heaters were shut down for refueling. After refueling was completed the two water heaters were started. At approximately 1831 hours a contract employee noticed the glow of a small fire under the water heater that was coming from the exhaust. The units have catch basins to contain spilled fuel to prevent the spread of fire. The employee then grabbed a CO₂ hand held 30 lb. fire extinguisher and extinguished the small fire in 5 to 10 seconds. The water heater was then shut down.

07-Nov-2001 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Remarks:   An operator representative observed a small fire located on two valve controllers near the glycol reboiler fire tube while he was making a walk-through visual inspection of the facility. The fire was extinguished immediately with a 30 lb. dry chemical unit. A 6 inch crack was detected in the fire tube which was the ignition source. There was minimal damage to equipment.

09-Nov-2001 - Forest Oil Corporation

Remarks: At approximately 16:30 hours, operators noticed heavy smoke billowing up from the B-heater structure. As the operators ran across the catwalk, which connects Platform A to Platform B, the alarm sounded and the temperature safety element (TSE) in the storage building shut-in the platform. An operator silenced the alarm and continued to Platform B. When they reached the platform, they found the wooden storage building on fire. The personnel on board the structure attempted to extinguish the flame with one 150 lb. wheeled unit and seven 30 lb. handheld extinguishers. However the fire continued to burn uncontrolled and caught the adjacent wooden paint locker on fire. To prevent the fire from spreading further water from the fresh water supply tank was sprayed on the nearby work room and the diesel generator. After most of the wooden storage building and paint locker had been destroyed by the fire operators were able to put out the rest of the fire with salt water pumped from the onsite marine vessel. The fire was extinguished and the situation brought under control at approximately 1830 hours. A firewatch was posted throughout the night to ensure no flare-ups would occur.

15-Nov-2001 - Texaco Exploration and Production Inc.

Remarks: The production on the platform shut-in due to a PLC problem in the computer update. The PLC caused two blowdown valves to open at the same time while the platform was being shut in. This resulted in a large volume of gas venting to the flare boom. The wind carried a small amount of oil from the gas in the flare boom onto the exhaust for the no. 1 gas compressor, igniting a 6 inch flame. The flame was extinguished within three minutes with a 30 lb. dry chemical unit. A very small volume of oil was spilled.

21-Nov-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation
(also listed as Loss of Well Control)  

Remarks: Simultaneous producing and drilling operations were being conducted. Drilling operations penetrated the base of a massive salt body.  During well control operations, a sudden discharge of synthetic based mud occurred. Some of the mud was blown onto the hot exhaust of the production facility’s water injection turbine. A general alarm sounded on the production platform. Shut-in procedures started and individuals working on deck immediately extinguished the flames with water hoses and a small chemical fire extinguisher.

03-Dec-2001 - Shell Offshore Inc.

Remarks: The windings on the auto-transformer shorted and flashed. This event was sensed by the circuit breaker, which then shut-in the pipeline pump. This situation also caused the shutdown of all platform power, with the exception of the Emergency Electrical System. The entire platform was then shut in.

04-Dec-2001 - Shell Offshore In