Fire -- Oil Sprays from Valve
Effective Date: 3/9/1979
 | Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico OCS Region |
Notice No. 083
March 9, 1979
OCS Operations Safety Alert
Fire -- Oil Sprays from Valve
A fire recently occurred on an offshore production platform when two men were replacing an inoperative pressure gauge on a pump discharge line. The men failed to observe that the valve and nipple assembly below the pressure gauge were unscrewing as they were removing the pressure gauge. An oil leak occurred and oil sprayed on the pump engine exhaust and ignited. The leak was stopped and the fire was extinguished within two hours with no injuries to personnel and only minimal facility damage.
The following actions will be taken by the operator to prevent a recurrence of this type of accident:
1. Supervisors will review the accident with their personnel, and the proper precautions to be used when replacing gauges under pressure will be stressed.
2. A study is being made to determine the feasibility of effectively insulating any exposed exhaust piping which could possibly be an ignition source.
[signed] D.W. Solanas
Oil and Gas Supervisor
Operations Support
Gulf of Mexico Area