Inspection Detail

Inspection: 103823951 - Parker Drilling Co

Inspection Information - Office: Hi-E-Honolulu

Investigation Summary

At approximately 11:25 p.m. on June 12, 1991, Employee #1, a derrick hand, and Employee #2, a driller, were working on the floor of an EMSCO D-2 Parker drilling rig #231 at drill site K58. The drill hit a high-pressure zone at approximately 3475 feet into the earth. Blowout preventers could not function until the kelly bar was raised out of the hole. While Employee #2 raised the kelly, he instructed Employee #1 to shut in the pipe ram. Before the kelly could be raised and Employee #1 could reach the remote station, high-pressure steam blew out the hole. Employee #1 was burned on his upper and lower arms and suffered a sore back, requiring hospitalization. He was treated and released. Employee #2 was burned on his lower arms. He was not hospitalized. The damage to the drilling rig was not fully assessed at this time.

Keywords: BURN, DERRICKMAN, CONSTRUCTION, BACK, HIGH PRESSURE, BLOWOUT--OIL WELL, ARM, OIL RIG