If something kills the driller, though, then what happens?... wouldn’t you think there would be an electronic fail safe on the system so if there is a rig demolishing catastrophe, the blowout prevention system would automatically kick in?
Yeah, the explosion may have killed the driller instantly
There is no electronic fail safe that I know of.
Gas blowout could have been so sudden,driller could not catch it quickly enough. Then something had to ignite the gas. No smoking on drill floor. motors should be explosion proof. A tiny bubble of gas size of grain o rice deep in well expands to cubic foot at atmospheric pressure.