Inspection Detail

Inspection: 311411524 - Shamrock Drilling Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Jackson Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 11, 2007, an employee, a five member crew consisting of a tool pusher driller, derrick hand, and two floor hands, was drilling a new well. All members of the crew were participating in the process called a wipe trip. This process includes pulling all of the pipes out and putting them back in. This was done to wipe the hole out so that you don't get struck. About every four days the company would perform a wipe trip. The crew started work around 6:30 a.m. and spent a half hour servicing the rig. The crew spent over 5 hours drilling from the 5511 feet level to the 5604 level. The crew then spent another 4 hours performing a wiping trip. Around 4:00 p.m., while still performing a wipe trip, the employee, a floor hand, who was working the tongs, started showing signs of dizziness. The coworkers first thought that the employee was playing around and began joking with him. The employee was sent to the doghouse while the crew continued to run over 25 stands of pipe in the hole. When the crew got the hole back circulating, a coworker went to look for the employee. The employee was founded stumbling and falling on the ground between the mud tank and the substructure. The tool pusher and supervisor told the other coworkers to wet the employee down with water. The coworkers got some cool rags and started cooling the employee down. The tool pusher eventually called the drilling superintendent. The drilling superintendent called the emergency medical services. .The employee was taken to LSU Bogalusa Medical Center where he died.

Keywords: OIL RIG, CHEMICAL