(Source: Shutterstock.com)
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) determined equipment failure resulted in loss of almost 500 bbl of oil in a 2020 oil spill. The report, released March 8, found that fractured studs resulted in a flowline failure in a Fieldwood Energy-operated deepwater Gulf of Mexico field. Following its emergence from bankruptcy in September 2021, the company now operates as QuarterNorth Energy.
The incident occurred on the Katmai Field Well #1 on July 24, 2020. The well is located approximately 140 miles offshore Louisiana in Green Canyon Area Block 40 in 2,082 ft of water. The leak, which resulted in a loss of 479 barrels of oil, occurred when a flowline jumper failed and four flange fasteners fractured.
The investigation, conducted by BSEE experts and specialized investigators, found that the jumper and flange failures were the result of fractured studs. According to the report, the studs were composed of a corrosion-resistant nickel-based alloy, but the alloy was susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement in subsea environments. Another contributing factor to the leak was a gap in the quality assurance/quality control process that allowed for a non-compliance subsea flange fastener installation. Fieldwood’s methods for immediate subsea leak detection were also found to be limited with the flowline shut-in as there were inaudible subsea alarms, and seemingly no control room operator to monitor subsea components in the control room, according to the report. While these faults did not contribute to the jumper failure, they did impact the timeliness of response to the failure.
As a result of its investigation, BSEE issued a safety report that recommends that operators and contractors use an industry-knowledgeable metallurgist to evaluate all subsea fasteners to verify their suitability for usage in subsea environments. They also emphasize that all company, contract, and sub-contract personnel enact management of change protocol when there are modifications associated with equipment, personnel, operating procedures and operating conditions.
Recommended Reading
Formentera Joins EOG in Wildcatting South Texas’ Oily Pearsall Pay
2025-01-22 - Known in the past as a “heartbreak shale,” Formentera Partners is counting on bigger completions and longer laterals to crack the Pearsall code, Managing Partner Bryan Sheffield said. EOG Resources is also exploring the shale.
Shale Outlook: E&Ps Making More U-Turn Laterals, Problem-Free
2025-01-09 - Of the more than 70 horseshoe wells drilled to date, half came in the first nine months of 2024 as operators found 2-mile, single-section laterals more economic than a pair of 1-mile straight holes.
Classic Rock, New Wells: Permian Conventional Zones Gain Momentum
2024-12-02 - Spurned or simply ignored by the big publics, the Permian Basin’s conventional zones—the Central Basin Platform, Northwest Shelf and Eastern Shelf—remain playgrounds for independent producers.
Hibernia IV Joins Dawson Dean Wildcatting Alongside EOG, SM, Birch
2025-01-30 - Hibernia IV is among a handful of wildcatters—including EOG Resources, SM Energy and Birch Resources—exploring the Dean sandstone near the Dawson-Martin county line, state records show.
Analysis: Middle Three Forks Bench Holds Vast Untapped Oil Potential
2025-01-07 - Williston Basin operators have mostly landed laterals in the shallower upper Three Forks bench. But the deeper middle Three Forks contains hundreds of millions of barrels of oil yet to be recovered, North Dakota state researchers report.
Comments
Add new comment
This conversation is moderated according to Hart Energy community rules. Please read the rules before joining the discussion. If you’re experiencing any technical problems, please contact our customer care team.