Inspection Detail

Inspection: 100026533 - Gerrity Oil & Gas Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Denver Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employees #1 through #5 were members of a rig crew that had just come out of the hole to add a section of pipe when they experienced a kick. Natural gas began spewing from the well and up through the rig floor. When they attempted to close in the well using the provided Hydril blowout prevention, the unit failed to close fully and gas continued to accumulate in the area and eventually ignited. The resulting flash fire caused serious burns to Employees #1, #2, #3, and #5. The employees had not had blowout protection classes and had not been trained in appropriate inspection, maintenance, and testing procedures for the Hydril. The Hydril was not tested either upon installation on the well or upon the occurrence of a round trip the previous day.

Keywords: EQUIPMENT FAILURE, INEXPERIENCE, BLOWOUT--OIL WELL, GAS WELL DRILLING, UNTRAINED, BURN, FLAMMABLE LIQUID, FIRE, NATURAL GAS