Safety Alert
Failure to Follow Procedures Results in Pollution Incidents
Failure to Follow Procedures Results in Pollution Incidents
- BSEE
- Safety Alert
- BSEE Safety Alert 412
- Control of WorkEnvironment
- Environmental protectionHydrocarbon release
- Fluid transferWell intervention
- Valve
- Competence and trainingLockout and tagoutOperating and work proceduresPre-use checks
- Upstream oil and gas
- Marine waters
Summary
BSEE describes two Gulf of Mexico pollution incidents involving open valves during well workover and synthetic-based mud transfer. The second investigation remained ongoing, with preliminary findings indicating procedural non-compliance. Recommendations address flow-path understanding, valve labelling, physical verification before start-up, defined responsibilities and lockout/tagout barriers for overboard mud-system components.
Classifications: Environmental protection; environmental safety; pollution prevention.
Classifications: Hydrocarbon release; hydrocarbon leak; oil and gas release.
Classifications: Fluid transfer; fluid loading; fluid offloading.
Classifications: Well intervention; workover; well servicing.
Classifications: Valve; valves.
Classifications: Competence and training; competency assurance; safety training.
Classifications: Lockout and tagout; LOTO; lockout/tagout.
Classifications: Operating and work procedures.
Classifications: Pre-use checks; pre-use inspection.
Classifications: Upstream oil and gas; oil and gas extraction; upstream petroleum.
Classifications: Marine waters.
Summary
The alert links failures to follow procedures with pollution incidents.
BSEE Safety Alert 412. Themes: control of work, environment.