IADC/12-01 Ruptured piston on mud pump leads to pump house fire
The rig was drilling at approximately 2,030m (6,660 feet) with invert (oil and water mixture) drilling fluid in the tanks, pumping with approximately 21,500 kPa (3,118 psi) pump pressure. The rig crew noticed smoke coming out of pump house #1. The rig crew gathered all the fire extinguishers on site (five – 30lb (13kg) extinguishers and two – 150lbs (68kg) extinguishers, from the tank farm) and attempted to extinguish the fire. The crew was unsuccessful; therefore, the Driller and Rig Manager shut-in the well. The fire spread to pump house #2, then over to the mixing area of the mud tanks causing fire damage to the mud tank platform behind the buildings and to the contents on the platform.
IADC/12-02 Disregard for energy isolation procedures results in amputation
The derrick man was replacing a small hatch cover, which had been removed to clean out the auger on the horizontal conveyor in the sack room. The conveyor had backed up due to chemicals absorbing moisture because of the humidity and heat. The chemicals blocked the operation of the auger and had to be “dug out” from the hatch cover by using a special tool fit for the job. To determine that the auger was free, the auger was engaged and the derrick man observed it through the cleanout opening. Once it was determined that the auger was operating properly, the derrick man decided to put the hatch cover back in place; however, he failed to shut down the auger with the E-stop prior to reinstalling the cover. With the system still running he began to reinstall the cover, which resulted in his left index finger coming in contact with the rotating auger and resulting in his losing the tip of his index finger.
IADC/12-03 Malfunctioning pump results in 3rd degree burn injury
While disconnecting the suction line from a drilling fluid transfer pump, an employee sustained 3rd degree burns when his lower abdomen and right arm were splashed with hot drilling fluid. The employee was in the process of transferring the hot drilling fluid from the haul-off pit to the reserve pit. The transfer pump had been running for an unknown amount of time before the employee discovered the suction line was clogged. The crew had experienced similar problems with the pump system in the past and was unsuccessful in their attempts to keep the suction line from clogging up. The employee turned the pump off and, with the assistance of the derrickman who was lifting the suction line from the haul-off pit with a forklift, the employee attempted to disconnect the suction line from the pump. Once the cam-lock connector on the pump was released, the built up pressure in the suction line blew the hose off the pump, splashing the employee with the hot drilling fluid.
IADC/12-04 Improper use of jack results in finger injury
The operation was to adjust a rotary table on the rig floor for the fitting of safety pins. A hydraulic jack was being used to move the rotary table to the correct alignment. The hydraulic jack slipped out of position under pressure and struck the supervisor on his left hand. His left hand and arm then struck the side of his face on recoil causing minor bruising. The on-board medic applied sutures to the middle finger of his left hand and dressed the wound. There was no evidence of any fracture to the finger or his facial area.
IADC/12-05 Near Miss – Track Hoe contacts 5KV power cable
During the mechanical excavation of two 6” pipelines and a power cable, a 5 KV power cable tightened when contact was made with the track hoe bucket. The power cable was discovered through hydro excavation and inspection of the survey drawings indicated that the power cable followed a path adjacent to the pipeline. The contact location was determined to be outside of two foot (2’) of the path of the pipeline underneath the backfill. After being contacted with the bucket of the track hoe, the cable shorted when manually moved by the ground disturbance supervisor.
IADC/12-06 Struck by incident results in sprained ankle
A haul truck driver was lowering a tank to the ground using the winch on his truck. He pulled his truck forward to make room to back up and play out some slack in the line, which was connected to the skid of the tank. While pulling forward, the winch line became tight pulling the tank forward just slightly. The Swamper’s (truck driver’s assistant) foot was in front of the tank when it was pulled forward and his foot was struck by the skid of the tank. The swamper was trying to remove the haul truck’s load line from the skid of the tank before the truck had finished its maneuver. The swamper’s injuries proved to be “minor” (sprained ankle) but the loss severity potential was “major.”
IADC/12-07 Bee sting results in anaphylactic reaction
At two different intervals, two different contractors were stung by bees and experienced allergic reactions while working at two different remote well sites. In the first event the contractor was working alone and drove himself to the hospital. Throughout the drive he was in phone communication with a co-worker, who ensured that he made it to the hospital. This was a serious potential incident because the injured person’s face had begun to swell significantly and impaired his vision. It could have impaired his ability to breathe if he had not received treatment when he did. In a second incident, a supervisor drove his employee to the doctor. In this case, the injured person was given Benadryl at the work site which prevented a more serious reaction from occurring during the 1.5 hour drive to seek medical attention. This was a serious potential incident because the allergic reaction might not have been controlled by the Benadryl.
IADC/12-08 Supply boat pulls platform crane overboard
During routine lifting operations on a production platform, which involved offloading a 20 foot basket from a supply boat, the basket turned around when the crane started lifting it and hooked inside an escape opening in the rail. The supply boat moved down on the swell at the same time as the crane lifted. The crane operator lowered the lift back on the deck and tried to lift it again. The basket hooked inside the opening,seconds later the crane fell in to the sea. The crane-operator managed to escape without injuries.
The vessel was still connected to the crane (now on the sea bed) as the hook and wire from the crane were connected to the cargo and hanging out over the stern of the vessel. Later the crane wire broke. Because of the potential risk to the vessel’s crew members, the crane wire was not cut by the vessel’s deck crew. The basket remained on the supply boat deck. As a result of the crane falling into the sea, a small oil spill was reported (0.6ltr). This incident is considered a high risk incident and relevant investigations have started up.
IADC/12-09 Tangled fall arrest cable results in fatality
A pipe screen was left in the drill pipe that was racked in the derrick board. The derrickman could not free the screen, so the motorman went up to the derrick board with a tool to pry it out. After prying it out, the pipe was made up into the drill string. The driller started to lower the drill string into the hole when the motorman’s retractable fall arrest cable became entangled with the safety clamp on the Kelly hose. The motorman was knocked to the derrick board and could not get his fall arrest cable untangled. Due to the weight and force of the blocks and top drive, the fall arrest cable parted and he fell 75’ (~23m) to the rig floor.
IADC/12-10 Loss of balance results in laceration to leg from grinder
A vessel was on standby located near an offshore platform and waiting on orders. While the vessel was on standby, an Able Seaman was ordered to brush the upper stern part of the crash-bar (starboard side) with an electric grinding machine. He was attempting to perform the activity while working on the top of a ladder. The seaman lost his balance and the control of the grinder, dropping it to the deck. As the “uncontrolled” grinder fell toward the deck it cut the seaman just above the right knee. The injured person suffered an injury to his right leg (just above the knee) resulting in a5 cm (2”) cut. After the incident, the seaman was given medical assistance from the vessel’s crew members and then examined by the platform doctor. After performing his examination, the doctor recommended sending the injured person to an onshore hospital. The injured person was disembarked and directed to the emergency room of the local hospital for medical assistance.
IADC/12-11 Near Miss: crane contacts high power electrical lines
To keep from causing congestion on the location, the crane was dropped off outside the location. The operator had rigged the crane up as a short boom. The crane operator, while being assisted by his rigger, then proceeded onto the location. While moving onto the location the boom contacted the power lines and broke two 21’ (~6m) high power lines. Fortunately there were no injuries; however, this could have been a very serious incident! The operator and rigger had apparently been distracted by other issues as they navigated their path and had failed to look overhead and notice the lines.
IADC/12-12 Lack of inspection procedures results in dropped blocks
The crew was tripping in to the well when the driller pushed down on the brake handle and realized that he had lost brake control. The block came down hitting the well head and rested next to the well. When the block dropped to the ground, it caused a backlash in the drill line. This allowed the drill line socket to release from the drum where it hung up in the sheave guard in the crown and caused damage to the guard.
IADC/12-13 Rigger sustains hand injury during rig move
While removing a 2,100lbs. (953 Kg) set of stairs from the top dog house, a rigger’s hand was caught between the stair’s handrail and an air conditioning unit on the top dog house. The rigger was on the porch of the top dog house with a drilling employee removing the pins from the stairs going to the top dog house. The rigger signaled for the crane operator to pick up on the stairs. The crane operator picked the stairs up level and stopped. The rigger then signaled the crane operator to pick up on the stairs a few more feet (meters); however, when the crane operator picked up on the load, he soon realized that the stairs were in a bind and stopped again. Immediately after stopping, the stairs broke out of the bind and swung towards the top dog house. The rigger’s left hand was on the inside handrail as the stairs came up and caught his hand between the stairs and the air conditioning unit of the top dog house.
IADC/12-14 Fatality – worker struck by falling pipe tub
Two pipe tubs had been set out from the edge of the lease with a pole truck. Two trucks were called to the lease to pick up the tubs which were parallel to each other and about 8 ft. (2.4 m) apart with one tub about 8ft. (2.4 m) further back from the other. The first truck tractor, with a lo-boy trailer, lined up to the pipe tub that was furthest back. He then hooked up chains to a set of pipe racks that were sitting on the tub. He then hooked up his loading sling to the tub and began loading the tub. While the first truck driver was getting ready, a second truck, with a hi-boy, had pulled in and lined up to the front tub. The second driver had to chain several items to the top of his tub. He had thrown three chains over the tub and began tightening the boomer on the chain that was furthest back on the tub. The first truck driver winched his tub forward and brought it about 15 ft. (4.6 m) ahead of the roll of his trailer, which was now even with the front tub. The first truck driver started winching the tub again and the pipe tub slid to the side of the trailer. He slacked off on the winch to let the tub back down and to re-align the trailer to the tub. As soon as the first truck driver slacked off the tub, it slid off of the side of the trailer. The second truck driver turned toward the falling tub and was struck in the chest area. To avoid being crushed by the falling tub, he managed to get clear; however, he died later from the force of the impact of the tub on his chest.
IADC/12-15 Improper body position results in injury to mouth
The incident occurred when a coiled-tubing contractor employee was tightening a break-over (lever-style) chain binder (boomer) on an injector head. The employee’s hand slipped off the binder handle and it struck him in the chin. The injured employee suffered seven chipped or cracked teeth. The injured employee was taken to a dentist for treatment of the injury. Although this injury was relatively minor, people have broken bones, lost eyesight and even been killed when struck by break-over binders.
IADC/12-16 Tag line releases lifeboat during lifting operation
During a lifting operation to move a steel plate during high winds, one of the tag lines being used caught on the port lifeboat release wire, releasing the gravity brake and allowing the boat to be lowered to the sea. The lifeboat did not disconnect from the falls and was winched back up to the davits without damage.
