Injuries – 2005

09-Jan-2005 – El Paso Field Services, L.P.

(also listed as Fire)

Remarks: A cracked 1” nipple on the dump line of a suction scrubber leaked condensate while being repaired. The condensate was allowed to form a puddle about 4 feet in diameter and ¼ inch deep. An unknown source ignited the condensate and a brief fire occurred. The fire was extinguished within five minutes. Two employees were slightly injured and given first aid on location.
 

14-Jan-2005 – SPN Resources, LLC

Remarks: While performing maintenance on the condensate coalescer, gas began blowing back from the pipeline. Personnel did not properly isolate the gas pipeline which allowed gas to migrate from the gas sales pipeline back through the production train and escape through open-ended piping at the coalescer. The incident resulted in 26 miles of 30” pipeline being bled down and 35.4 MCF of gas being vented to the atmosphere. The platform was evacuated and two employees sustained minor injuries; however, both were released back to work.

 18-Jan-2005 – Apache Corporation

(also listed as Fire)

Remarks: A contract employee was attempting to break bolts on a loose piece of process piping. The pipe was approx 2" in diameter and 12' long. A check valve and ball valve were located in the middle of this pipe about one inch away from each other. Neither valve was open nor could have been opened. When the employee could not break the bolts he attempted to cut the bolts with a cutting torch. As he made his cut a small amount of hydrocarbons that were trapped between the valves, flashed into his face. He was wearing goggles but received a small burn on his nose and cheek area. He was flown in to get checked by a doctor. The doctor diagnosed him with second degree burns and released him with antibiotic cream and pain medication to treat the wound.

06-Feb-2005 – Unocal Exploration Corporation

Remarks: The winch operator was changing out choke line under the rig floor. A snatch block was assembled to the winch cable and the cable gathered to one side of the reel. The winch stalled out and the operator tried to steer the cable by hand. The cable jumped and his fingers were caught in the snatch block injuring the tips of two fingers. He was treated at a local hospital and released back to light duty.

07-Feb-2005 – Hunt Oil Company

Remarks: An employee was moving equipment on the rig floor with the assistance of the air hoist. During the lift, the load swung onto his finger against the drill floor. He sustained ligament damage to his finger.

20-Feb-2005 – Dominion Exploration & Production, Inc.

Remarks: A contract employee injured his hand while attempting to unclog a 6” vacuum hose which was clogged with mud and cuttings. Instead of using the proper equipment or getting help, he attempted to release the hose and change out the cuttings box. The weight of the clogged hose was too great for the employee to handle and the hose fell against a pipe pinning his hand underneath. The employee sustained a broken index finger with damaged tendon and a severely bruised and cut thumb.

23-Feb-2005 – Forest Oil Corporation

Remarks: While proceeding to the heliport, an employee hit his head on an overhead beam and fell backwards down the stairway. Employee received medical treatment and was diagnosed with budging discs and limited cervical motion. He has not been released to return to work.

26-Feb-2005 – BP Exploration & Production Inc.

(also listed as Fire)

Remarks: In an attempt to reposition a coupling on a crankshaft, heat was applied to the

 coupling. At the same time, pressure was also applied to the coupling with a

 hydraulic power pack. During this process, it is believed that the hydraulic pressure

 hose for the power pack came in contact with the heat applied to the crankshaft and burst. When pressure was released, the escaping oil atomized and flashed from the heat applied to the coupling. The flash caused minor burns to a pipe fitter. No damage to property or pollution resulted from the fire.

04-Mar-2005 – Union Oil Company of California

Remarks: While running casing, the crane operator was positioning 2 joints of casing on the catwalk with the crane when the load pinned the choker lines. The roustabout was loosening the choker lines with a pry bar when the casing joints moved and the roustabout was hit in the head with the pry bar. He was sent to the hospital where he received stitches and was released.

07-Mar-2005 – Shell Oil Company

Remarks: The crane operator lowered a subsea tree onto the deck of the M/V Legend. A rigger climbed onto the tree to unlatch the crane block/hook. In doing so, he slipped and fell onto the boat deck approximately 10 feet below. He was airlifted to a hospital where he was treated for injuries to his head, back and shoulder.

13-Mar-2005 – Helis Oil & Gas Company, LLC

Remarks: A Bell 206L-1 single engine helicopter en route from ST 220 to ST 165 for refueling was unable to land due to the presence of another helicopter on the helideck. The pilot returned to ST 220, landed on the helideck, and idled the aircraft for approximately 10 minutes when the helicopter started to “rock backwards”. The pilot attempted to level the aircraft; however, the tail boom separated from the fuselage and both sections of the helicopter fell off the platform and into the water, destroying the aircraft and seriously injuring the pilot. The NTSB determined the probable cause of the accident to be the pilot’s abrupt input of the collective while the main rotor RPM was at idle, which resulted in the separation of the tail boom (see NTSB factual and probable cause reports).

27-Mar-2005 – Dominion Exploration & Production, Inc.

Remarks: After completing liquid transfer operations from the boat to the platform, a crewman disconnected the 4” liquid transfer hose on the boat and was untying the ropes securing the hose to the deck. The boat moved forward to avoid the heavy seas which were coming over the stern. The hose went taught (presumably due to the forward movement of the boat) and the sling holding the hose disconnected from the crane hook on the spar. The hose fell and struck the crewman breaking his leg. He was treated at the scene and transported to the hospital.

19-Apr-2005 – Apache Corporation
 

Remarks: A contract employee sustained injuries to his eye and respiratory system due to the sudden release of residual gas while he was in the process of removing the valve cylinder cap from a compressor. Prior to the incident, the valve cylinder had been bled down. The cause of the residual pressure behind the cap is not known. The employee was transported by helicopter to the hospital for treatment.

27-Apr-2005 – Chevron Texaco Corporation
 

Remarks: A roustabout was standing on a stack of drill pipe attempting to straighten out a joint of pipe. He shifted position straddling the pipe joint and his right foot slipped between two joints of pipe. One pipe joint rolled against his foot, pinning and fracturing his ankle. He was able to pull his foot free and was given first aid at the scene. The next day he was transported to shore for medical treatment.

 08-May-2005 – Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

(also listed as Fire)
 

Remarks: A contract mechanic received minor burns while working on a generator. He removed the discharge piping from the generator and applied gas to the starter and started the engine. A loose connection associated with the spark plug wiring ignited engine exhaust gas. The flash fire extinguished itself without damaging the generator.

19-May-2005 – Chevron Texaco Corporation

Remarks: The crew was working around surface flow head which contains 3 valves with handles. The handle is secured by tract pins. They were in the process of tying tugger lines. One line was on the wrong side of the valve. A person whipped the line to get it on the other side. The valve handle fell off and fell 49 feet striking a Noble employee on the front left side of his hard hat. He was medivaced to Terrebonne General then to Charity.

21-May-2005 – Forest Oil Corporation

(also listed as Pipeline Event)