Safety Flash
BSEE: Anchor-handling causes damage to subsea equipment and triggers gas release
BSEE: Anchor-handling causes damage to subsea equipment and triggers gas release
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 23/25
- Hydrocarbon ReleaseManagement of ChangeMarine OperationsSimultaneous Operations
- Hydrocarbon releaseLoss of station keeping
- Anchor handling
- ValveWire rope
- Emergency responseManagement of changeRisk assessmentSimultaneous operations coordination
- Marine industryUpstream oil and gas
- Subsea
Summary
An anchor wire snagged a subsea well during recovery by a dive support vessel, subsequently detaching an annulus valve and releasing gas. The flash summarises BSEE findings on inadequate planning, coordination and emergency preparation, with recommendations for consideration covering readiness checks, change management, communication and current-aware anchor-handling plans.
Classifications: Hydrocarbon release; hydrocarbon leak; oil and gas release.
Classifications: Loss of station keeping; drive-off; drift-off.
Classifications: Anchor handling; anchor deployment.
Classifications: Valve; valves.
Classifications: Wire rope; steel wire rope.
Classifications: Emergency response; emergency preparedness.
Classifications: Management of change; MOC; change management.
Classifications: Risk assessment; hazard assessment.
Classifications: Simultaneous operations coordination; SIMOPS; simultaneous operations.
Classifications: Marine industry; shipping industry; maritime sector.
Classifications: Upstream oil and gas; oil and gas extraction; upstream petroleum.
Classifications: Subsea; underwater worksite.
Summary
The United States Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has published Safety Alert 508 on 30 September 2025.
IMCA SF 23/25. Themes: hydrocarbon release, management of change, marine operations, simultaneous operations.