Safety System Failure -- Oil Spill
Effective Date: 2/13/1975
 | Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region |
Notice No. 019
February 13, 1975
OCS Operations Safety Alert
Safety System Failure--Oil Spill
An oil spill occurred recently on an offshore production platform when asafety system malfunction resulted in failure to shut in a well.
Two wells were producing into surge tanks which were being pumped into thepipeline. The gas supply to the pump "froze up," the pump shut down,and the surge tanks filled up. The high liquid level control shut in only one ofthe producing wells. The oil in the tanks ran over onto the platform deck andinto the sump tank. The sump tank filled and the high liquid level control alsofailed to shut in the producing well, resulting in approximately 25 barrels ofoil being spilled overboard.
The malfunction in the safety system was found to be a friction-locked"O" ring in the block and bleed valve on the well which failed to shutin.
To prevent a recurrence of this type of accident, the operator has instructedthe switcher not to leave the wells on the facility producing unless there issufficient storage tank space to permit flowing the wells until he returns thefollowing day.
[signature] D.W. Solanas
Oil and Gas Supervisor
Field Operations
Gulf of Mexico Area