UPDATED: Search Continues for 11 Missing Workers

Rig Zone ^ | 4/22/2010 | Rig Zone Staff

[thackney]

At approximately 10 p.m. (CST) Tuesday night, an explosion rocked Transocean's Deepwater Horizon semisubmersible drilling rig in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the search continues for 11 workers still missing following what could be one of the nation's deadliest offshore drilling incidents of the past half-century.

Seventeen people were injured in the blast and taken to hospitals earlier Wednesday. Yesterday, four workers were treated at West Jefferson Hospital, while another worker was treated at the University of South Alabama Medical Center's burn unit. Five others were undergoing evaluation at the facility in Mobile, Alabama.

The rig, located more than 50 miles southeast of Venice off Louisiana's coast, was still burning Wednesday morning as the U.S. Coast Guard commenced a search for the missing rig personnel. The Deepwater Horizon has been engulfed in flames since Tuesday night.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Coast Guard estimated that 126 workers onboard the rig were able to evacuate. Of the 126 people, 115 crewmembers have been accounted for. Of those accounted for, 17 crewmembers were medevaced from the scene; 94 crewmembers were en route to Port Fourchon, Louisiana aboard the Damien Baxton, an offshore supply vessel; and four crewmembers were transferred to a separate vessel.

The Damien Baxton arrived at Port Fourchon early Thursday morning. The offshore personnel were checked by doctors and then brought to a hotel in New Orleans to reunite with their relatives.

Eleven workers were reported missing Wednesday as the Coast Guard focused efforts on rescuing other personnel from the burning rig. The Coast Guard's search is ongoing for the missing workers.

The Coast Guard have since dispatched three HH-65 C Dolphin rescue helicopters, an HH-60 rescue helicopter and an HC-144 Ocean Sentry rescue plane to participate in the rescue efforts, along with two cutters. Three other cutters were en route to assist search and rescue workers.

The Coast Guard is currently investigating the cause of the explosion, but did not say when the fire would be extinguished. Environmental teams are on standby to assess the damage once the flames die out, but say that damage to the environment appears to be minimal so far.

A spokesman for operator BP told Dow Jones Newswires Thursday that the oil major has begun work to shut off the oil flow that is feeding the fire. Remotely operated underwater vehicles have been deployed for the task. The spokesman did not say how long the operations would take.

On location in Mississippi Canyon Block 252 in the Gulf of Mexico, the Deepwater Horizon recently concluded exploration drilling on the Macondo prospect. According to the Minerals Management Service, BP filed a permit to temporarily abandon the well, which commenced drilling in February 2010.

According to RigLogix, the Deepwater Horizon, an RBS-8D-designed dynamically-positioned semisub, is rated to work in water depths up to 10,000' and with a rated drilling depth capacity of 30,000'. The rig is under long-term contract to BP through September 2013 and its current dayrate is $502,000. The Deepwater Horizon was built in Ulsan, South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries at a cost of approximately $365 million and entered service in 2001.

[chicken head]

roughnecks hang out in too many strip clubs-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm-7VUvBpvc

[Eaker]

Keep in mind also that a certain amount of energy must be produced or safety becomes irrelevant.

Ten watts total produced with no deaths or injuries ain’t going to cut it.

[thackney]

Injuries per watthour goes way up when you have to rub two sticks together or bang a rock on the flint.

[the_daug]

No wonder there, they’re Canadian!

[TexasCajun]

Transocean DEEPWATER HORIZON

Rig Type 5th Generation Deepwater
Design Reading & Bates Falcon RBS-8D
Builder Hyundai Heavy Industries Shipyard, Ulsan, South Korea
Year Built 2001
Classification ABS
Flag Marshall Islands
Accommodation 130 berths
Helideck Rated for S61-N helicopter
Moonpool 21 ft x 93 ft
Station Keeping Dynamically Positioned
Max Drill Depth 30,000 ft / 9,144 m
Max Water Depth 8,000 ft / 2,438 m
Operating Conditions Significant Wave: 29 ft;@ 10.1 sec;
Wind: 60 knots; Current: 3.5 knots
Storm Conditions Significant Wave: 41 ft @ 15 sec; Wind: 103 knots; Current: 3.5 knots

Day Rate 502,000.00

[TexasCajun]

Could there be any geophysical connection between this blowout and the volcano eruption in Iceland?

I know they are far from one another, but what goes on deep below the surface of the earth is still pretty much a mystery.

[thackney]

I would say zero chance of relationship.

And below the ground and the depths for drilling isn’t that mysterious for connections.

Blowouts happen, it is part of being in this industry. Usually they are controlled, but this is hardly the first fire one an oil drilling platform. They don’t require a volcano erupting a quarter of the globe away.

[TexasCajun]

The rig was probably in 7-8K foot of water and 15-20K well depth. ...HP/HT for sure.

So what do you think? Most likely human error or equipment/BOP failure.

It has to be a tricky situation to cap a well in that deep of water.

...and a long time to bring in another semi to drill a relief well.

[too_cool_for_skool]

Update from Yahoo News:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_louisiana_oil_rig_explosion

“The sinking of the Deepwater Horizon, which burned violently until the gulf itself extinguished the fire, could unleash more than 300,000 of gallons of crude into the water every day. The environmental hazards would be greatest if the spill were to reach the Louisiana coast, some 50 miles away.”

I’m not too familiar with the oil extraction industry, but does an uncapped well just continually spew oil into the ocean until it gets capped? Sounds like it could wreak some havoc along the Louisiana coast line if they don’t plug it quickly.

[drdemars]

Have a nephew that works the rig in question but was home with days off. Of the 90 some rigs in the gulf he worked that one. Thankful he is o. k.

[thackney]

A field under enough pressure to overcome the pressure will.

Submersibles are working at stopping it now.

[thackney]

It is possible the subsea valve still may be able to be closed.

At 3:00 pm yesterday during a conference with the Coast Guard and Transocean, they said they were working on that.

Recap of the conference at:

http://blogs.chron.com/newswatchenergy/archives/2010/04/live_blog_us_co_1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Fnewswatchenergy+%28NewsWatch%3A+Energy%29

[1010RD]

Those fire boats are interesting. What is the story on their design/shape? Are they pumping sea water to put the fire out?

[thackney]

I suspect (without knowing) that those are work boats that normally run equipment and supplies. It would make sense to equipment them a fire water cannon. They would be the first available and likely even already on site when a fire starts.

As far as I know, all ships use sea water to put out fires. I believe this is very common with the Navy. I know true fire boats used in harbors pump from the water they are in.

[TexasCajun]

Pretty interesting:

TomFowler: A: Were in process of running the final plug.

[1010RD]

Thanks. I enjoy your posts.

[thackney]

Very unusual time for a blowout.
This event will get a lot of review and speculation.

I created the keyword “DEEPHORZ” trying to sort all the related threads.

[TexasCajun]

...ping me.

[thackney]

I like keywords over ping list.

Anyone interested can add a keyword to a thread to keep them grouped together. Any one at any time can click on a keyword to get all the other threads in order of the latest added.

I seem to get more busy these days. This way someone interested isn’t dependent on the keeper of the ping list.

I do the same for energy and other related topics.

The title search is sometimes flaky, but keyword has always worked for me.

Also I do most of my FReeping these days on a BlackBerry Storm. Cut and paste of a ping list is a pain.

[TexasCajun]

I had never used keywords for that purpose, usually just post a smartass keyword from time to time.

I clicked your keyword, works really well.

Thanks,