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Content: Pagemasters:
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Gulf
of Mexico Region Collisions – 2003 (18 total)
07-Jan-2003 –
Walter Oil & Gas Corporation
Remarks: The M/V which was moored 2.2 miles from the platform snagged the associated gas pipeline while retrieving its anchor. The vessel began pulling up the anchor at 0736 hours and halted the operation at 0830 hours when the Captain realized he’d snagged a heavy object. Ten minutes later, the Captain noticed fire and smoke under the platform and notified the USCG. Sometime after 0800 hours, the platform operator felt several jolts to the platform which intensified in strength and eventually rocked the platform. The operator shut-in the platforms two producing wells. About 10 minutes later, the platform was jolted again and the gas pipeline broke loose and an explosion and fire erupted from the severed pipeline beneath the platform. The three individuals on the platform at the time evacuated the facility via helicopter. Damage to the platform and pipeline is estimated at $1,841,000. The vessel was moored outside of the designated lightering area per the instructions of the Mooring Master. The Mooring Master and the Captain were unaware of any pipelines in the mooring area as apparently neither one had a copy of the pipeline overlay to the NOAA nautical chart. 27-Jan-2003 – W & T Offshore, Inc.
Remarks: A crew boat struck the platform tearing a 3 foot x 3 foot hole in the boat’s hull. The boat landing was severely damaged. Two boats on the scene assisted the crippled boat and prevented it from sinking. The USCG has been notified.
18-Mar-2003 –
Walter Oil & Gas Corporation
Remarks: At 0200 hours an M/V collided with the production platform. The port bow of the M/V struck the platform about midway between the legs and was wedged under a portion of the horizontal support beam at the + 10 elevation for approximately 15 minutes. Production operations were shut in by personnel onboard the platform. All process production equipment along with both departing pipelines was bled down as an added safety precaution to prevent fire or possible explosion. The tug boat captain reported that the first mate was at the wheel at the time of the collision and had fallen asleep. With all crew members sleeping and the first mate asleep at the wheel, the M/V veered off course and struck the platform. Structural damage to the platform and two departing pipelines is estimated at $850,000.
09-May-2003 –
Tri-Union Development Corporation
Remarks: While offloading potable water to the EI-277A facility, the M/V "April" bumped the facility and sustained a hole just above the water line. The vessel began taking on water and sank. There were no injuries. A sheen originated from the vessel. The vessel had 10,993 gallons (261.74 barrels) of diesel fuel and 78 gallons (1.86 bbl) of lube oil on board. There was no attempt to recover the vessel or the petroleum products. The USCG reported the vessel's location at 91 degrees 24.37 minutes West and 28 degrees 27.28 minutes North.
10-May-2003 -
Stone Energy, L.L.C.
Remarks: While offloading personnel to the EI-243D facility, the M/V "Mr. C" bumped the facility and sustained a hole in the hull. The vessel began taking on water and sank. There were no injuries. A sheen originated from the vessel. The vessel had 18,000 gallons (428.57 barrels) of diesel fuel and 76 gallons (1.81 bbl) of lube oil on board. There was no attempt to recover the vessel or the petroleum products. The USCG reported the vessel's location at 91 degrees 45.23 minutes West and 28 degrees 33.14 minutes North. 19-May-2003 – Calpine Natural Gas Company
Remarks: Operators arrived on location to perform normal duties and discovered that the platform had been hit by a large vessel. Scada monitoring equipment registered an ESD at 1330 hours on the 19th. At this time MMS has not been notified of a collision by any other entity. 11-Jul-2003 – BP Exploration & Oil Inc.
Remarks: The jack-up MODU was positioned 12 feet away from the shut-in platform. The rig’s three legs were pinned (secured) in the mud with twenty feet of leg penetration with the port leg sited in an old can hole (as planned). As the rig was jacked up, it was observed to have moved about four feet closer to the platform. The rig operator commenced jack down with a slight lowering of the bow (0.3 degree tilt) to stay clear of the platform. As the rig’s drill floor motor shed cleared the platform the rig was observed to be four feet from the platform. The sonar (playback) indicated that the spud can had not moved laterally since the rig was initially pinned. A decision was made to unpin the legs (pull them out of the mud) and move the rig away from the platform. The rig was jacked down to a 20-foot draft in an attempt to use the buoyant force of the rig to free the legs. The bow of the rig suddenly became buoyant and caused the rig to tilt toward the platform and the motor shed to be positioned under the platform I-beams. Then the starboard leg became free causing the motor shed to be caught under four platform I-beams, damaging the I-beams, motor shed, and hand rails. The bow tug pulled the rig out from underneath the I-beams freeing the starboard leg. The stuck port leg was jetted out and the rig moved off location. Damage to the platform and MODU is estimated at $50,000. 20-Jul-2003 – Taylor Energy Company
Remarks: The incident was discovered on the 20th but the actual time of the occurrence is believed to be between 7-15-2003 and 7-20-2003. The platform appears to have been damaged by a motor vessel. Both wells on the platform were shut-in at the time of the incident. The company has notified the USCG that the aids to navigation were missing. The USCG is investigating the incident. 07-Aug-2003 – Newfield Exploration Company
Remarks: An M/V bumped into the platform. The captain of the M/V appears to have left the vessel on “auto pilot” while the vessel was standing by. There appears to be only minor damage to the well caisson caused by the vessel brushing up against the platform. The A-1 well caisson was pushed over about six inches and is resting against the bell housing for the well. No leaks occurred and no pressure was noted on the well casing strings. There was no pollution or injuries. The USCG has been notified. 16-Sep-2003 – Stone Energy Corporation
Remarks: An M/V collided with the platform and jack-up rig. The operator’s report stated that after offloading supplies for the rig, the vessel ran weather patterns in the field. The captain fell asleep at the wheel and the vessel collided with the rig and the platform. The rig wasn’t damaged, however, the boat landing handrails and stairs were damaged along with the wheel house on the M/V. 06-Nov-2003 – Westport Resources Corporation
Remarks: A contract technician discovered damage to the Nav Aids deck which appears to have been caused by a motor vessel. The platform was last visited on 10/31/03. 11-Nov-2003 – BP Exploration & Production Inc.
Remarks: A workboat collided with the rig while unloading supplies. There were no injuries, no pollution, and no damages to the rig as a result of the collision. The workboat sustained minor damage. 13-Nov-2003 – BP Exploration & Production Inc.
Remarks: An M/V was tied up to the drilling rig with two mooring lines and barite and water hoses hooked up. At the time of the incident winds were 30-35 knots, seas 5 to 6 feet, and a 2.0 knot current was running across the vessel’s bow. The weather worsened and the vessel became difficult to handle. The decision was made to disconnect the hoses and release the mooring lines. One mooring line was successfully released but the other mooring line was under tension and was not released quickly. While attempting to maintain position to release the second line, the free end of the first line was pulled into the port propeller. The M/V laid over and bumped the rigs port leg several times. The M/V has teeth marks on the hull but the rig sustained no damage from the collision. 20-Nov-2003 – TDC Energy LLC
Remarks: The operator visited the caisson on November 30 and noticed some damage to the facility. It appears that a vessel may have collided with the platform between Nov. 17 and Nov. 30 leaving blue paint on the platform. The well was temporarily plugged and abandoned at the time of the incident with the SSSV closed. No pollution was reported.
02-Dec-2003 –
Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP
Remarks: A dredge barge, dredging the Atchafalaya Channel for the Corp of Engineers, impacted and severed the 20-inch gas pipeline. The barge was dredging the channel floor to a depth of 22 feet BML in the vicinity of the pipeline; however, the burial depth of the pipeline was not known. A representative of the pipeline company was not on board at the time of incident. The project engineer did not account for the length of the dredge (420 feet) in determining where to halt dredging operations relative to the location of the pipeline and provided the leverman with the wrong station location. The leverman dredged to the station location provided by the project engineer and hit the pipeline. The pipeline caught on fire as a result of the impact from the dredge. Approximately 1,500 feet of pipe was pulled apart or ripped, with damages estimated at $1,000,000. 08-Dec-2003 – Exxon Mobil Corporation
Remarks: A dive boat backed into the freestanding boat landing. There were no injuries and no pollution.
20-Dec-2003 –
Magnum Hunter Production, Inc.
Remarks: The subsea well was shut-in due to a PSL on the #1 methanol pump and FA-1 flow line segment of the well. The ESD was subsequently initiated on the well and the SCSSV closed when bubbling water was observed at the surface indicative of a possible gas leak. Later, the operation Superintendent was notified that the well was shut-in due to possible wellhead/pipeline damage from shrimp nets. Subsequent visual inspection of the wellhead and pressure testing of the wellhead and pipeline indicated: 1) the gas release was coming from the pipeline (at a downstream location 29 degrees 18.79’ N; 88 degrees 13.55’ W) and the wellhead damage/leak was pre-existing. Apparently the shrimp boat Captain was unaware of the trawling hazards in the area and snagged the pipeline. Damage to wellhead and pipeline is estimated at $1,095,000.
26-Dec-2003 –
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Remarks: The M/V was delivering personnel and equipment to the rig. While approaching the platform, the Captain of the M/V was distracted with a phone call and lost visual contact with the platform. Prior to the collision there was no communication between the vessel and the platform. There were no injuries reported from the rig or platform; however, three passengers and one crew member onboard the vessel reported injuries. Damage to the platform is estimated at $800,000. Privacy | Disclaimers | Accessibility | Topic Index | FOIA Last Updated: 07/15/08, 02:02 PM
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