Inspection Detail

Inspection: 312379035 - Weatherford International

Inspection Information - Office: Oklahoma City Area Office

Investigation Summary

On September 24, 2008, Employee #1 had relieved a fellow employee on an oil and gas well site where the well was being worked over to produce other zones. The well had been recompleted with the original production zone plugged, the production casing perforated in four higher zones with 3 fracing operations, and the setting of two more plugs. The upper zones were allowed to produce for several months. The process being conducted at the time of the accident was the reverse drilling of a composite bridge plugs to allow comingled production of the upper four zones. There were three contractors on site: one operated a mechanical pipe handling system, another, the service rig, and Employee #1's employer providing the drilling swivel and water pumping units. Employee #1 was the equipment operator. After the three contractors rigged their equipment, the production tubing was reinserted into the well over the next 1.5 days. The well had been producing both gas and crude petroleum and its flow was shut off (killed) by pumping lease salt water into the well. This was done at the beginning of each day and several times during the tubing reinsertion. At the end of the second day the first plug was reached at about 14,200 feet. On the third day, Employee #1 arrived on site; the well was killed and the drilling of the first plug commenced. After the plug was drilled more tubing was inserted into the well until the second plug was reached. Drilling resumed. As the plug was being penetrated the water in the return tank started to rise, Employee #1 informed the representative that they had penetrated the plug. As Employee #1 returned to the pumping unit area gas started flowing from the water discharge line on top of the return tank. Employee #1 went to the pumping unit to shut it down. The gas ignited starting at the pumping unit and back towards the discharge. Employee #1 was caught in the resulting fire ball, his clothing caught fire; he was wearing cotton jeans and tee shirt. Employee #1 walked and ran away from the fireball and collapsed. The rig crew provided first aid to Employee #1 after they had shut the well in with valves and the Blow-Out Preventer. Employee #1 died the next day from his injuries. No other employees were injured.

Keywords: BURN, FIRE, OIL WELL DRILLING, EXPLOSION, OIL WELL SERVICING