Investigation Report
Pryor Trust Fatal Gas Well Blowout and Fire
Pryor Trust Fatal Gas Well Blowout and Fire
- CSB
- Investigation Report
- Hot Work and FireHydrocarbon ReleaseProcess Safety
- Barrier managementFireHydrocarbon releaseRegulation and legislationWell control
- Drilling
- Blowout preventerHoseOperator displays and control interfacesPumpsValve
- Alarm managementEvacuation, escape and rescueManagement of changeOperating and work procedures
- Upstream oil and gas
- Onshore facility
Summary
Investigation of an Oklahoma gas-well blowout and fire that killed five workers in the driller’s cabin. It examines underbalanced drilling, tripping methods, missed influx indications, disabled alarms, procedural and change-management deficiencies, blocked escape routes and unsuccessful blowout-preventer closure. Recommendations address drilling regulation, barrier assurance, alarm design and operating practices.
Classifications: Barrier management; safety barrier management.
Classifications: Fire; fire safety.
Classifications: Hydrocarbon release; hydrocarbon leak; oil and gas release.
Classifications: Regulation and legislation; safety legislation; regulatory requirements.
Classifications: Well control; kick control; loss of well control.
Classifications: Drilling; well drilling.
Classifications: Blowout preventer; BOP; blow-out preventer.
Classifications: Hose; flexible hose.
Classifications: Operator displays and control interfaces.
Classifications: Pumps.
Classifications: Valve; valves.
Classifications: Alarm management.
Classifications: Evacuation, escape and rescue; EER; escape and rescue.
Classifications: Management of change; MOC; change management.
Classifications: Operating and work procedures.
Classifications: Upstream oil and gas; oil and gas extraction; upstream petroleum.
Classifications: Onshore facility; onshore plant.
Summary
During drilling operations at a gas well in Pittsburg County Oklahoma, a large explosion fatally injured five workers.
Themes: hot work and fire, hydrocarbon release, process safety.