Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123417610 - Weatherford Petco

Inspection Information - Office: Lubbock Area Office

Inspection Nr: 123417610

Report ID: 0627400

Date Opened: 03/11/1993

Site Address:
Weatherford Petco
20 Miles S.E. Off Hwy 349
Midland, TX 79701

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 112, Odessa, TX 79760

Union Status: NonUnion

SIC:1389

NAICS: 0

Inspection Type: Unprog Rel

Scope: Complete

Advanced Notice: Y

Ownership: Private

Safety/Health: Safety

Close Conference: 03/18/1993

Emphasis:

Case Closed: 07/23/1993

Related Activity
Type	Activity Nr	Safety	Health
Accident	360910467

Violation Summary
Violations/Penalties	Serious	Willful	Repeat	Other	Unclass	Total
Initial Violations	1					1
Current Violations	1					1
Initial Penalty	$1,875	$0	$0	$0	$0	$1,875
Current Penalty	$1,000	$0	$0	$0	$0	$1,000
FTA Penalty	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0

Violation Items
#	Citation ID	Citaton Type	Standard Cited	Issuance Date	Abatement Due Date	Current Penalty	Initial Penalty	FTA Penalty	Contest	Latest Event	Note
1.	01001	Serious	19101200 E01	06/02/1993	07/20/1993	$1,000	$1,875	$0		I - Informal Settlement

Investigation Summary

Investigation Nr: 552166

Event: 03/08/1993

Employee killed in explosion and fire at oil wellhead

Employee #1 and seven coworkers were engaged in a well circulation procedure in preparation for a Railroad Commission H-5 test. They had been pumping saltwater down the hole for approximately 10 minutes when petroleum fluids and gases began to leak from the blowout preventer. Employee #1 and three coworkers immediately attempted to close the blowout preventer ram blocks using a hand wheel. When this failed to stop the leak, a coworker went for a cheater pipe and Employee #1 went for a 36 in. pipe wrench to increase the leverage and pressure on the ram blocks to obtain a seal. To reach the wrench on the east side of the workover rig, he went downwind and was starting through the area of released gases when an explosion and fire occurred, engulfing Employee #1, a tanker transport truck, and the workover rig and well. He sustained third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body and was killed.

Keywords: LEAK, FLAMMABLE VAPORS, EXPLOSION, BLOWOUT--OIL WELL, COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID, BURN, FIRE, NATURAL GAS, OIL WELL SERVICING, WELLHEAD

Investigated Inspection
#	Inspection	Age	Sex	Degree of Injury	Nature of Injury	Occupation
1	123417610					Occupation Not Listed

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