|
||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
Content: Pagemasters:
|
Gulf
of Mexico Region Fires – 2002 (total 87) 02-Jan-2002 - Shell Offshore Inc.
Remarks: Employee smelled something burning in process module as he walked through the area. He noticed sparks from motor on the pump for heat media fluid. It is suspected that the bearing overheated and caused sparking. Plastic cooling fan caught fire. Pump was shut down and fire was extinguished with a hand-held chemical fire extinguisher. Damage was minimal. 05-Jan-2002 - Exxon Mobil Corporation
Remarks: A small fire occurred as a door latch was being repaired on top of the production water polishing floatation cell. A drill was being used to drill a hole in the door when it generated a spark that ignited the atmospheric gas in the floatation cell vessel. The fire was extinguished within one minute with a fire water hose. There were minimal damages. 05-Jan-2002 - BP Amoco Corporation
Remarks: Welders were cutting a pad eye on a beam in the No. 6 caterpillar room on the rig when the heat ignited a personnel basket stored in the engine room. The fire was detected and extinguished immediately with minor damage. 12-Jan-2002 - Shell Offshore Inc.
Remarks: A contract employee observed a small flame on the top deck of the facility and reported it to the deck coordinator. Upon investigation, it was determined that a scaffold board was on fire. The fire was extinguished within five minutes with a water hose. The board had been placed too close to an engine exhaust during some construction work. 15-Jan-2002 - Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Corporation
Remarks: The operator reported a pipeline rupture with a fire on the water. Within 2 hours Transco confirmed it was their gas pipeline and had it shut in. No injuries or pollution. 16-Jan-2002 - Devon Energy Corporation
Remarks: Production hand noticed a small fire on the glycol reboiler. Fire was put out and situation under control in 35 minutes. Seven 20 lb. and one 150 lb. units were used to put out the fire and keep the fire from flashing until the glycol unit cooled sufficiently. After unit was cooled, the insulation was pulled back to reveal a nipple with two holes ¼ inch in diameter. Glycol had been spraying on hot surface which caused the fire. 21-Jan-2002 - BP Amoco Corporation
Remarks: A construction crew was conducting a hot work operation when a piece of hot slag fell onto a windbreak tarp, and the tarp catching it on fire. It was extinguished immediately by the fire watch and a rigger with two 30 lb. dry chemical fire extinguishers. 22-Jan-2002 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Remarks: Slag from an overhead cutting torch ignited a small flow of escaping gas from a wellhead cap. The flame was about 3 inches high and was extinguished with a 1 gallon jug of water by the welder. 23-Jan-2002 - Pogo Producing Company
Remarks: The engine coolant for a gas compressor leaked onto the compressor engine turbo charger (1100 degrees). This created a small flash fire that extinguished itself immediately. 29-Jan-2002 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (also listed as Injury)
Remarks: Worker went to the Master Control Panel to investigate why the system (natural gas) pressure was low. He opened up the back of the panel to troubleshoot the loss of pressure, in an attempt to locate the gas leak and correct the problem. The worker checked the panel vent ports and found no leakage. At about this time, he felt heat (hot flash) to his face and arms. He immediately shut the panel doors to contain the heat. Apparently the fire was brief and self extinguished immediately due to lack of fuel. The worker was then evacuated by helicopter for medical care. The employee was treated for first and second degree burns. 31-Jan-2002 - Agip Petroleum Exploration Co. Inc.
Remarks: While conducting a ground fault test on the generator, a fire occurred. The CO2 deluge system was used to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. 02-Feb-2002 - BP Exploration Inc.
Remarks: Contract personnel on the main deck observed a fire at the water bath heater area. The maintenance personnel shut in the compressor and a platform ESD occurred at about the same time. They used 30 lb. bottles to extinguish the fire within a few seconds. 04-Feb-2002 - BP Amoco Corporation
Remarks: Operator went to fill day tank. He opened a series of valves, which overfilled the crank case and went into manifold and subsequently went into exhaust. A small flame around the insulated muffler located on top of the generator enclosure. The platform operator initiated an ESD on the platform and initial emergency response was also initiated. The fire was extinguished utilizing hand held dry chemical units and the platform’s potable water system. 07-Feb-2002 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Remarks: The primary generator shut down due to a platform ESD involving the platform glycol system. After troubleshooting the ESD, it was necessary to start the emergency generator to bring the facility back online. When the emergency generator was brought back on line, operators noticed smoke coming from the emergency generator enclosure. There was a small fire as a result of a backfire in the emergency generator engine. This backfire caused the exhaust filter element to catch fire. The generator was shut down and the fire was extinguished using a portable CO2 unit. 07-Feb-2002 - Exxon Mobil Corporation
Remarks: Personnel heard a loud noise, and then the winch starting unspooling wire. The brakes were in the applied position. The heat generated form the brake band ignited line tar off of wire causing a small fire. After the wire finished unspoooling, the fire was immediately extinguished. No personnel were injured and no apparent damage to equipment occurred. 12-Feb-2002 - Vastar Resources, Inc. (also listed as Explosion)
Remarks: While a contract employee was reconnecting turbine lines on the No. 1 generator, the No. 2 generator shut down. As a result, the platform shut in due to the loss of air supply to the ESD system. The emergency (diesel) generator was started after shut in, providing lighting to the Motor Control Center (MCC) building and other lights on the platform. There were three re-start attempts on the No. 2 generator, and each time it shut down due to no AC voltage. While going through a start up sequence of the No. 1 generator, everyone was in the MCC building when they heard a loud boom and rumble. The contractor operator stepped out the MCC building to investigate and he detected a small of burnt gas. While walking to the wellbay area, he heard a second boom. When he walked around the west side of wellbay, he encountered the heat of the fire and was driven back by it. He estimated that the fire covered approximately 80 percent of the wellbay. He alerted the platform personnel that there was a fire when he heard a third boom. He told the lead operator that the fire was out of control, and to get life jackets on and go to the survival capsule where he activated the abandon platform alarm. All personnel safely departed. The fire extinguished without any firefighting efforts. 16-Feb-2002 - Shell Oil Company
Remarks: The operator was performing a turbine flush of the fuel gas compressor when an internal fire started in the turbine engine. There was a flash fire for one minute, and then the fire extinguished itself. 20-Feb-2002 - Shell Offshore Inc.
Remarks: Extension cords being used by a construction crew came in contact with salt water causing a small flash fire. It was extinguished almost immediately by its own accord. 05-Mar-2002 - Spirit Energy Partners, L.P.
|
