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    Melinda Mayes

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    OMM Web Team

Fires - 2004 (6 incidents total)

31-Jan.-2004 Nuevo Energy Co.

Remarks: A platform crew member was in the MCC room attempting to transfer power from the jet water pump to the fire watch pump. The breaker did not match the door cover linkage so the crew member removed the outer switch cover to reset the breaker. While he was conducting this task and he was reinstalling the cover, an outer screw came into contact with a live lead inside the breaker, causing an electrical arc. The arc and resulting smoke activated the halon fire system and shut in the platform. The elongated screw on the outer breaker switch cover became misaligned when it was being manually threaded into the breaker assembly and came into contact with a live electrical lead, producing an arc. There were no injuries and damages were estimated at about $250.00.

16-Feb.-2004 Nuevo Energy Co.

Remarks: A 50 HP electric submersible pump for well B-12 started pulling high amperage. The breakers protecting this circuit did not trip. The 480 VAC transformer for the pump’s variable speed drive over heated and caught on fire. The platform operator noticed smoke emanating from the lower electrical (MCC) room and immediately shut in the platforms production of hydrocarbons. He saw heavy smoke coming from the upper MCC room. The fire was isolated to the upper MCC room. The fire was extinguished with two 30lb. dry chemical units. Apparently the circuit breaker did not operate properly, which allowed over-amperage to flow to the transformer component and resulted in overheating and the subsequent fire.

24-March.-2004 Nuevo Energy Co.

Remarks: A contractor was cutting a bolt off on the 17th level of the platform with an acetylene torch. A piece of the hot welding slag fell on the acetylene hose which caused a pinhole leak and resulted in a small fire. The fire watch pinched the hose and the fire was extinguished. Then the welding regulator supply was shut off.

1-April-2004 Nuevo Energy Co.

Remarks: An operator smelled smoke coming from the drilling change room, but did not see any flames. The breaker to the washing machine had overheated and tripped the breaker. The washing machine was not in use.

11-July-2004 Nuevo Energy Co.

Remarks: A contract worker was drilling a hole in a cooler casing in order to secure a latch. The worker had his back to a 480 volt light fixture. As he began to drill, the bit slipped across the work surface, causing the worker to shift his weight against the light fixture, which in turn caused the cast aluminum mount for the light fixture to split at the threads, allowing the fixture to fall. As the fixture fell, the electrical wires parted at the wire nut connection, resulting in an electrical arc. The arc flash was detected by a single fire eye. The fixture fell 12 feet to the mezzanine deck below. No injuries. The duration of the flash was too brief to trigger a platform shut in, although an alarm did sound in the control room.

29-Dec.-2004 ExxonMobil corp.

Remarks: An electrical firewater pump was being tested manually for operation when a loud thud was heard. An ExxonMobil employee went to the switch gear room to investigate and noticed that the door to the electric firewater pump was open and a small flame was visible on the middle phase of the contactor, which immediately burned it self out. It was determined that the electric motor had caused the ground and needs to be replaced.