Blowout
Effective Date: 12/1/1978
 | Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region |
Notice No. 081
December 1, 1978
OCS Operations Safety Alert
Blowout
While drilling a hole for a water injection well, the bit drilled into a gas lifted producing well. Pressure from the producing well entered the well bore and caused a blowout. The platform was shut in and evacuated.
The blowout bridged over and the water injection well had to be plugged and abandoned. The producing well was then repaired and returned to production. One roustabout suffered minor injuries and there was considerable damage to the drilling rig.
The operator has established the following guidelines in order to minimize the possibility of this type of event recurring:
1. Prior to kicking-off a directional well in an area already containing wells, directional surveys will be made from surface to the kick-off point to establish the displacement in that portion of the hole normally assumed to be vertical.
2. If there is any possibility of interference, surveys will be made and the results plotted on a grid interference chart. Drilling will be resumed only after survey results determine that there is sufficient clearance between the wells.
In addition, drilling personnel will interpret and use the values ofmonitored parameters, such as torque, changes in drag, weight on the bit, etc., in order to quickly recognize and halt impending interference problems.
[signed] D.W. Solanas
Oil and Gas Supervisor
Operations Support
Gulf of Mexico Area