Fatalities – 1997

January 03, 1997 - Oryx Energy Company

Remarks: A roughneck was assigned the job of installing ropes between handrail posts in open sections around the edge of the platform. The driller noticed the roughneck approaching the northwest area of the platform where there was no rope between the posts. Ten minutes later the driller noticed the area was still not roped off, and that the roughneck was missing. The driller initiated a search. The roughneck was reported missing.

January 18, 1997 - Mesa Petroleum Company

Remarks: A fatality occurred when the crane operator was lifting the lid off of the accumulator bottles. The employee, who was giving the hand signals to the crane operator from the draw works roof, was struck by a release of accumulator fluid under pressure when the lid inadvertently snagged a valve on the accumulator manifold. The employee was thrown across the draw works roof, into the ladder handrail opening, and fell 14 feet to the drill floor level.

January 20, 1997 - Conoco, Inc

Remarks: A floor hand fell while assisting with the installation of the diverter. After guiding the 20 inch diverter spool through a 7-foot by 7-foot opening in the main deck, the floor hand went to guide a hydraulic lift line through a 2.5-foot by 2.5-foot opening in the main deck. When he finished, he turned to go back to the 7 by 7 opening. In doing so he tripped over a welding lead and fell 22 feet through the 7 by 7 opening to the wall bay deck below.

March 11, 1997 - Chevron U.S.A. Inc

Remarks: While attempting to set a gangway for the Allied II jack-up boat to Compressor #3 facility, the deck hand fell overboard. He was not wearing a safety belt or a personal flotation device (PFD).

March 16, 1997 - Burlington Resources Offshore Incorporated

Remarks: Supply boat M/V Seacor Texas was attempting to untie from the rig in heavy seas (8-10 foot). The boat was hit by a large wave causing the tie down rope to become slack. Then the boat dropped into a trough and the rope popped, throwing the two deck hands onto the deck of the boat. One suffered severe facial injuries and was killed, the other suffered possible fractures to his right arm and leg.

April 07, 1997 - CXY Energy Offshore, Inc.

Remarks: Three members of a sandblasting and painting crew were moving scaffolding under the cellar deck of the platform (wellbay area). During the moving operations one man slipped and fell overboard. A search by air and boat was initiated. The body was recovered the next day. The victim was not wearing a safety belt or a PFD.

May 21, 1997 - Exxon Corporation

Remarks: A roustabout was discovered missing. The crew conducted a search of the facility and the supply boat. His body was found in the vicinity of the platform five days later.

May 24, 1997 - Texaco Exploration and Production

Remarks: An employee was hitting drill line to keep it tight on the drum. The drill line crossed over two wraps. The driller reversed out the line and was rolling the drill line back on. The drill line got tight going up in the derrick, but had a bulge on the drum. The employee pushed the bulge down with his right hand. His finger got caught in the cable. The draw works was stopped. Then without warning it began to turn again and wrapped the deceased in the line.

September 17, 1997 - Phillips Petroleum Company

Remarks: The drilling crew was in the process of offloading a remote operational vehicle (ROV) from a boat to the rig. The ROV was being lifted by a nylon strap, 15 feet above the deck. The floor hand reached for the ROV tag line, the nylon strap broke, and the ROV fell on him, killing him.

December 10, 1997 - Newfield Exploration Company

Remarks: The crane operator was using the port crane to move several pallets of chemicals into the mud room from a position near the port handrail to facilitate the unloading of casing. There was a 1 foot space between the pallet and the handrail. A worker was sent to insert the pallet hooks into the top pallet of the middle row of pallets. To do this the hooks had to be inserted on the outboard side of the pallet. The worker had to walk between the pallets and the handrail. The worker was seen falling from the top deck of the jack-up (approximately 67 feet above the water). He hit the rope used to tie the supply boat to the jack-up and then fell into the water. Rescue efforts were commenced but he sunk before he could be rescued. The body was found on 01/02/98 in SS Block 277.

December 24, 1997 - SONAT Exploration Company

Remarks: On the morning of 12/24/97, two Sonat employees arrived on Platform A to perform various duties, one of which was to blow down the casing pressure on well A-1. While one of the employees was attempting to blow down the pressure, a tubing extension on the blowdown valve assembly rotated rapidly and fatally struck the employee. Subsequent to the rotation and fatal blow, the entire assembly broke free from a fitting downstream of an open gate valve, thereby opening casing gas flow to the atmosphere. The well was secured by the other employee shortly thereafter by closing the gate valve. See OCS Report MMS 99-0009 for more details.