Posted on 04/30/2010 5:11:34 AM PDT by OKSooner
So what does it take to cause an explosion on an offshore drilling rig?
How many explosions on offshore rigs have there been up 'til now?
Has anyone said anything about what caused this one to blow up?
What if I wanted to go blow up an offshore rig? How would I do it?
Don’t forget about the refinery explosion in Anacortes, WA on 2APR2010.
The timing of it is quite remarkable...
Were you trying to be sarcastic?
I was stating a fact. I remember several of these platforms catching fire. Specifically the Piper Alpha off the coast of Scotland that was one of the worst disaster in British history. There was also the West Atlas rig that caught fire in the Timor Sea, the Oseberg A platform fire, there was a fire on an Indian platform in 2007 that killed 12 people, there was a fire on a Mexican platform that killed 21 people in 2007.
I've worked on POL equipment (Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants). The danger of explosion was great enough that we had to have special tools - like brass wrenches that didn't spark if you hit a piece of steel. We had to purge tanks for an hour before breaking seals. The safety precautions are taken very seriously on one of these rigs because there is always a risk of a leak or fire.
Considering that there are relatively few of these rigs around, the statistics show that they are very dangerous.
That's true. The most dangerous job statistically - and by a long way - is being a White farmer in Africa, but rig-workers have a damn dangerous job.
More common than I think you realize.
This site only lists the worst ones:
As far as suspecting sabotage, you can rule the roof fall out.
yep,
show us another rig “incident” of this magnitude (as the parsing president called this yesterday) where every single fail-safe system - failed
I will revisit this thread in 30 days when industry insiders have a chance to tell or leak their stories and we have a chance to see what Homeland Security and the US military are called upon to do regarding the protection of our energy production and infrastructure -
time will tell if this was just an act of God or failure of man but my sumting wrong light is blinking, especially since Spetnaz and other commando forces (porbably even trained elite terrorists) have plans for attacks on our energy infrastructure, in general war - we thought
by your definition, ships, aircraft, refineries, factories, power plants..etc all meet the definition of hazardous materials chemicals and explosive fuels in a small space just needing a spark to blow
Now I am off to tank up because I predict a gas price spike by tonight and through the weekend, and shortages in several weeks
Let’s see if I am wearing too much tinfoil
caused by strong winds
yet our rigs are built to withstand hurricanes like Katrina and worse- and they have
Is there technology available to prevent blowouts during drilling, or is that just part of the risk?
http://www.mms.gov/ooc/press/2006/press0501.htm
Far more rigs and platforms were significantly damaged.
I’m not ruling anything out. Apparently there’s enough doubt that they called in SWAT to look for bombs. I think that the odds are that this was an accident, but I’ll wait for an investigation before I start accusing members of the government of intentionally blowing up 11 people to highlight a political issue.
A file photo shows a view of the Deepwater Horizon Blowout Preventer. The unified command has approved a plan that utilizes Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) in an effort to activate the blowout preventer on the sea floor and to stop the flow of oil.
- - - - - -
A robotic arm of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) attempts to activate the Deepwater Horizon Blowout Preventor (BOP)
It has not worked.
Yes. I had thought that was the technology available. Basically shears through the casing and drill stem and pinches them off, right?
Statistically unrelated events-unless...
http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=blowout%20preventer
A large valve at the top of a well that may be closed if the drilling crew loses control of formation fluids. By closing this valve (usually operated remotely via hydraulic actuators), the drilling crew usually regains control of the reservoir, and procedures can then be initiated to increase the mud density until it is possible to open the BOP and retain pressure control of the formation. BOPs come in a variety of styles, sizes and pressure ratings. Some can effectively close over an open wellbore, some are designed to seal around tubular components in the well (drillpipe, casing or tubing) and others are fitted with hardened steel shearing surfaces that can actually cut through drillpipe. Since BOPs are critically important to the safety of the crew, the rig and the wellbore itself, BOPs are inspected, tested and refurbished at regular intervals determined by a combination of risk assessment, local practice, well type and legal requirements. BOP tests vary from daily function testing on critical wells to monthly or less frequent testing on wells thought to have low probability of well control problems.
Alternate Form: BOP
Hee hee. I love Rush’s “commercial” on this, too ;^)
I just saw across the FNC ticker this morning that they are halting drilling in the new sites...
...hmmm
How much oil was spewed into the Gulf and how long did it take to clean up the beaches?
oil production cutback is a backdoor form of Cap’n and trade, isn’t it?
Especially if there are shortages (there will be. Manmade ones caused by speculators) and govt gets to set up a “fair” rationing system
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