DRILLING RIG FIRE PICS!

e-mail | 01-10-05 | E-MAIL

[Dog Gone]

The old Humble Oil and Refining was trying to see what was below the Ellenberger.

Basically, it was nifty bases for lamps. The cost hundreds of thousands to get, and since they were completely free of hydrocarbons, also safe to make into electrical applicances!

[TexasCowboy]

"they were completely free of hydrocarbons,"

LOL!

Yeah, with a permeability of about .00000001 milidarcy!

[antivenom]

We intentionally light massive blowouts all the time especially when there is high H2S levels.

[Dog Gone]

We intentionally light massive blowouts all the time especially when there is high H2S levels.

WHAT? How many rigs do you blow up per year, and why are you still in business instead of in jail?

[antivenom]

How funny...but well control companies do this all the time...when you have a blowout many times especially in the events of high H2S we light the H2S, just have to. But then again I work for a well control company and you don't. Unfortunately well control isn't as lucrative as it was in the 70s...many companies have proper BOPs, and contingency plans in place and many blowouts are prevented above the surface, it s the subsurface blowouts that are the real pains to deal with. BUT when they do occur, it is not uncommon to light the H2S especially if the well is in or near high population areas...H2S kills people where as a big shiny fire blowing up out of the earth is just a noisy nuisance.

Hell one time we had a blowout we had to ignite and then we had to have "approved" passage to the site with the heavy equipment because "endangered turtles" lived in the area. Can't have a bulldozer run over a turtle when you are putting out a fire.

[Dog Gone]

Hell one time we had a blowout we had to ignite and then we had to have "approved" passage to the site with the heavy equipment because "endangered turtles" lived in the area. Can't have a bulldozer run over a turtle when you are putting out a fire.

On the Padre Islands in Texas, you have to have "turtle walkers" escort the oil field trucks to location, but no such restriction applies to the 600,000 Spring Breakers with their SUVs.

Talk about selective enforcement...

[TexasCowboy]

Sorry, I got tied up on the telephone.

I understand where you're coming from.

Yes, if it's a matter of human life over equipment, the well would be lighted and the H2S burned off.

In a well blowout of the magnitude in these pictures, the well will usually light itself. When the fluid coming from the well dries up, the small rocks will strike sparks and ignition occurs.

I really don't remember any H2S around Sanderson, but it's been a long time since I've worked there.

[TexasCowboy]

BTW: You've got a neat job!

I hired out to a firefighting company one time, but I went back overseas as a drilling consultant instead.
In those days, you couldn't make any money unless you were actually fighting a fire.

[Deaf Smith]

"The rig is Patterson #36."

Bump for updates. Haven't worked down the Sheffield Highway in 22 years.

[deport]

Let us know if you get any updates on this event......

[Professional Engineer]

Oh look, a Texas lightshow.

[Wneighbor]

Cool.

Last week - that was New Year's fireworks huh? :-)

[Professional Engineer]

LOL

[antivenom]

Hence the name for our firefighters..."The Fire Gods"

[msdrby]

wow!

I have some pics that look like they could be the before shots... 'cept they are from abuot 20 years ago.