Inspection Detail

Inspection: 108870692 - Graham-Michaelis Corporation

Inspection Information - Office: Oklahoma City Area Office

Investigation Summary

At approximately 3:15 p.m. on April 3, 1996, Employees #1 through #3 went to a well that was to be abandoned to remove casing tubes and then to plug and cement the opening. The well had a history of high-pressure natural gas and had produced natural gas for many years. The casing pullers rigged up on the well on the day before the accident. They released the pressure from the well, which amounted to a relatively small amount of gas. They then tried to determine how much casing could be pulled from the well. The casing was shot at 4,570 ft, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to pull loose this amount of casing. The casing was shot again at 3,540 ft, but it still would not come loose. On the day of the accident, the work-over rig stretched the casing to figure out its free-point, which was determined to be about 2,200 ft. The casing was shot at 2,122 ft and 20 joints of casing were pulled from the well. The casing pullers were circulating mud in preparation for cementing the well when a pocket of hydrocarbons shot out of the well. The gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons were apparently ignited by the pump engine on the rear of the pump trailer. Employees #1 through #3 sustained burns, for which they were hospitalized.

Keywords: BURN, GAS WELL, FLAMMABLE LIQUID, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, FIRE, NATURAL GAS, HIGH PRESSURE, GAS WELL DRILLING, ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE, PRESSURE RELEASE