Content:
    Melinda Mayes

 Pagemasters:
    OMM Web Team

Collisions – 2001 (18 total)

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

Remarks: The outrigging of a shrimp boat, struck the CB satellite platform, causing substantial damage to the structure’s boat landing and first deck level and limited damage to the second and third levels. No pollution or injuries were reported as a result of this incident.

30-Jan-2001 - Murphy Exploration and Production Company

Remarks: A crew/utility boat collided with the well jacket during the night. The well was plugged and not in production at the time of the collision. After the collision, well jacket was leaning over at a 45-degree angle. The flowline was later bled down. The USCG’s Marine Safety Office in Morgan City conducted an investigation in which they discovered that two days before the incident, Murphy Oil was notified that the platform lights were out of service. Murphy planned on replacing the lights when they could get a crew out to the platform. The investigating officer stated that the M/V crew did not see the platform on radar. Their eyes and searchlight were fixed on a nearby platform, not the one they struck. Just before the collision, the person on watch spotted the platform, but the M/V could not react fast enough to avoid the collision.

24-Feb-2001 - The Houston Exploration Company

Remarks: A 155 foot, 286 gross ton, workboat collided with SM 252 “A” platform. The M/V was traveling through the block at approximately 3 to 5 knots in thick fog with visibility at approximately 25 yards. The fog lights and horn on the structure were operating at the time of the collision. Probable cause of the collision is excessive speed for the limited visibility. The surface and subsurface safety systems functioned properly to shut-in the structure. There were no injuries or pollution reported as a result of this incident. The platform’s +10 horizontal, boat landing, related grating, support members and the stairway from the +10 level up to the well deck at the +30 level sustained severe damage. Platform repairs were completed and production resumed on March 10, 2001.

28-Feb-2001 - Westport Resources Corporation
(also listed as Explosion 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.

03-Mar-2001 - Ocean Energy, Inc.

Remarks: A M/V collided with the above structure. The M/V hit the northwest corner of the platform boat landing. The platform was not producing at the time of the collision. There is no structure damage to the platform and only minimal damage to the boat landing. An underwater survey inspection was conducted on March 5, 2001. The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating this incident.

17-Mar-2001 - El Paso Production Company

Remarks: A lift barge’s crane boom hit the VK 285-A platform deck after lifting a mud tank off another M/V striking two handrails and steel deck grating. The only damage to the crane was to a ¼ inch grease fitting on the crane fast line sheave.

16-Apr-2001 - J. M. Huber Corporation

Remarks: A cargo/supply vessel was attempting to tie up to the platform to unload cargo. The starboard clutch select valve experienced a mechanical failure for unknown reasons. This caused the M/V to lose power to the starboard engine. The sea currents caused the boat to drift along side the platform for 30 minutes. It is assumed that an underwater protruding steel member punctured the hull of the vessel. This caused the port fuel tank to leak about 200 gallons of diesel fuel overboard. The boat crew supervisor instructed the crew to transfer the fuel from the port tank to another tank to stop the spillage. Additionally, management told the boat crew to take the boat in to meet a recovery boat to contain the fuel.

18-Apr-2001 - BP Amoco Corporation

Remarks: A workboat was attempting to back up to the WD 90B production platform to load personnel from the platform onto the back deck of the boat. Rough seas, strong currents, and winds caused the boat operator to lose control of the boat. The back of the boat collided with the WD 90A and WD 90E production platforms which are connected together as part of one production complex. The back of the boat became lodged under the platforms for more than 30 minutes. The boat operator called for assistance but was able to dislodge his boat before the assistance arrived.

24-Apr-2001 - Devon Energy Corporation

Remarks: While pulling legs of the jack-up rig (17 foot penetration) the bow leg came loose and the rig collided with the platform. The motor shed on the drilling package came loose. Handrails were damaged on both the platform and the crane pedestal. A structural I-beam, 24 inches in length, was bent downward approximately 2 inches. The butt section of the rig crane was dented. Plans are to replace the butt section of the crane and resume normal drilling operations.

29-Apr-2001 - Texaco Exploration and Production Inc.
(also listed as Pipeline Event)

Remarks: An incoming 2 inch gas lift line on Well no. 161 was found ruptured. The break caused damage to the upper work deck, handrails, flowline, and riser. The line appears to have been pulled from the structure prior to the rupture possibly by a shrimping vessel since the line was buried. Contract personnel were working on an adjacent well when they heard the bleeding gas. They reported the incident to Texaco personnel who immediately shut off the supply of gas to the line. Well no. 161 is a dead well and there was no injury or pollution reported in this incident.

10-Jun-2001 - Texaco Exploration and Production Inc.

Remarks: Texaco field personnel discovered that the No. 177 unmanned satellite well structure had sustained damage to the handrails, grating, flowline riser, RTU panel, SCSSV panel, solar panel and nav-aid light due to an apparent strike by an unknown shrimp/fishing type M/V. Fishing vessel cable and outrigger materials were found entangled onto the structure. The surface and subsurface safety system activated to shut in Well No. 177 upon impact. There were no injuries to Texaco’s personnel. Also, Well No. 177 is a dry gas well and no pollution occurred as a result of the collision. The M/V name, port of origin, damage and injury to personnel remain unknown to the USCG and MMS.

05-Oct-2001 - Ocean Energy, Inc.

Remarks: A 120-foot workboat collided with a satellite well as the vessel was moving from Well No. 14 to Well No. 12. The Captain of the M/V was piloting the vessel from the aft controls during the move and mistakenly established a reference point on Well No. 15 as well No. 12. Damage to Well No. 12 consisted of bent and partially torn riser guards, riser clamps, and risers. Damage to the M/V consisted of three 12 inch tears in the hull near the water line and a similar size dent above the water line. There were no injuries and no pollution reported as a result of this incident.  Well No. 12 was shut in at the time of the incident.

26-Oct-2001 - Kerr-McGee Corporation

Remarks: The collision was not observed by Kerr McGee personnel. Upon boarding the Well Jacket 14C/14D, a worker observed that the SSV was shut-in. The worker shut the master, wing, and flowline valves and had the SS 33 Platform C facility operator shut-in the wells’ incoming flowline valves from that facility. The worker took an inventory of the damage to the well protector and wellhead. A M/V went over to a nearby shrimp boat. The shrimp boat crew would not acknowledge the radio. However, the M/V Captain observed the shrimp boat crew working on the back deck to repair damaged starboard side boom. A sheen at the wellhead was reported to the USCG and MMS.

19-Nov-2001 - Shell Deepwater Development Inc
(also listed as Injury) 

Remarks: While picking up anchors on the rig, a M/V moved over one of the rigs’ pontoons and punctured it. All hands except 9 were evacuated. Three of the hands jumped overboard and all other hands boarded lifeboats or life rafts. The 9 onboard counter-floated the rigs’ pontoons and leveled the rig. All personnel were picked up and put back on the rig. It is believed that the rig will have to be sent in to a shipyard for repairs. One galley hand was slightly injured during the evacuation. The rig was under contract to a drilling turnkey service company and was preparing to leave this location for Garden Banks to work for another operator.

29-Nov-2001 - Murphy Exploration & Production Company
(also listed as Other)

Remarks: At 1500 hours, the head gauger on South Timbalier Block 86, Platform D, received a call from the lead gauger on South Timbalier Block 63 Platform CA, informing him that a drop in production had occurred at platform CA. The lead gauger was then told to run the wells through the test separator to determine what had shut in. A weather front had passed through at the time of the production decline and seas were too rough to go investigate. The field hand called back to tell him that it was Well No. 21 had shut in. At approximately 1830 hours winds and seas had subsided. Personnel boarded a M/V to go check out the well, and it could not be located. The boat was sent out again, and the well could not be found using Loran coordinate readings. The wells on Platform CA were shut in and the departing line was bled down. The incoming line from Well No. 21 to Platform CA was then opened and no pressure was on the line, indicating a breakage.

03-Dec-2001 - Ocean Energy, Inc.

Remarks: A 150 x 50 x 8 foot cargo barge in tow by a M/V collided with the “F” platform and subsequently collided with satellite wells Nos.10 & 12 in Eugene Island Block 116. The barge was set adrift when the tow cable between the barge and the M/V (approx. 1500 feet) parted upon impact with the “F” platform and collided with the well structures before being brought under control by the M/V. The southwest leg of the “F” platform sustained a 4-6 inch dent approximately 8 feet above the water line and the well structures sustained minimal damage to boat landings and grating. The first mate stated that he misjudged the winds as he piloted the M/V near the Eugene Island 128 field. There were no injuries or pollution reported.

20-Dec-2001 – J. M. Huber Corporation

Remarks: A M/V struck the platform rupturing one of the tanks on the vessel. The ruptured tank contents are being transferred to another tank, however, not before 200 gallons of diesel spilled into the water. The slick size is ¼ miles wide by ¾ mile long, with a red sheen. The seas are running 5 feet. The slick is headed away from shore, with no expected land impact. The US Coast Guard has been notified. The platform is unmanned and damage only appears to be to the boat landing. It should be noted that the vessel was not servicing the platform, it was just passing near the platform.

31-Dec-2001 - J. M. Huber Corporation

Remarks: A M/V was dropping off personnel when a wave pulled the stern of the boat under the boat landing. No personnel were injured. A small amount of deck bracing and handrails were bent.

Privacy | Disclaimers | Accessibility | Topic Index | FOIA

Last Updated: 07/15/08, 02:02 PM