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    Cheryl Anderson

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Spills ≥ 50 Barrels (2,100 gallons) – 1987

March 20, 1987 (3 days) - McMoRan Oil & Gas Co.

Remarks: Blowout. After drill stem testing, the operator was preparing to reverse circulate when the 3.5" drill pipe test string split at 957 ft. The 4,000 psi well pressure blew off the 2" flowline to the bell nipple. This 2-in line than fell on the top of the HRC valve control line, rupturing it, resulting in the loss of accumulator pressure and thereby diabling the BOPs. The force blew out the inner rotary bushing and the master bushing, which struck and broke the flow tube to the test maniforld that was on top of the drill pipe. The gas flow engulfed the rig floor. Response: the annular preventer was closed but didn't hold; the top variable-bore rams were partially closed; the bottom variable-bore rams were open; the blind rams were closed, but didn't sever the tubing; evacuated rig personel from the platform by life boat; the well continued to flow until a new accumulator could be installed; the new accumulator was used to close the variable-bore rams on the 3.5" work string; the upper pipe rams were replaced with blind shear rams which were then activated successfully to control the well. Property damage estimated at $150,000.

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Last Updated: 08/13/08, 08:05 AM