Explosion
Effective Date: 6/8/1981
 | Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region |
Notice No. 101
June 8, 1981
OCS Operations Safety Alert
Explosion
An explosion occurred on an OCS platform in the Gulf of Mexico recently, caused by the bypassing of a malfunctioning automatic control system. The main fuel automatic shutdown valve in a gas fired heater of the platform's heat transfer unit had been taken out of service.
An employee, attempting to manually light the heater, failed to purge the fire box and the explosion resulted.
As a result of the explosion, the employee was seriously injured and the heater destroyed.
The operator has indicated that, in order to prevent a recurrence, employees have been instructed on the danger of bypassing automatic controls on a gas fired burner and warned of stern disciplinary action should this occur again.
[signed] D.W. Solanas
Deputy Conservation Manager
Offshore Operations Support
Gulf of Mexico OCS Region