Safety Alert
Safety Alert 144 - Uncontrolled Shallow Gas Flow
Safety Alert 144 - Uncontrolled Shallow Gas Flow
- BSEE
- Safety Alert
- BSEE Safety Alert 144
- Hydrocarbon ReleaseProcess Safety
- Hydrocarbon releaseMechanical failureWell control
- Drilling
- Blowout preventerProcess pipework and pipelines
- Upstream oil and gas
- Offshore installation
Summary
A shallow gas flow during surface-hole drilling escalated when a diverter line parted and damaged the rig air supply. Loss of air pressure reopened annular preventers and prevented pipe-ram operation. The alert describes subsequent well control and modifications to diverter-line geometry and accumulator regulators with manual overrides.
Classifications: Hydrocarbon release; hydrocarbon leak; oil and gas release.
Classifications: Mechanical failure; equipment failure.
Classifications: Well control; kick control; loss of well control.
Classifications: Drilling; well drilling.
Classifications: Blowout preventer; BOP; blow-out preventer.
Classifications: Process pipework and pipelines; process piping.
Classifications: Upstream oil and gas; oil and gas extraction; upstream petroleum.
Classifications: Offshore installation; offshore platform; offshore rig.
BSEE Safety Alert 144. Themes: hydrocarbon release, process safety.