Dynamic Positioning Incident Results in Sheared Wellhead

The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the U.S. Coast Guard have at present issued a Joint Safety Alert in response to a dynamic positioning incident involving an Offshore ~~Supply~~ Support Vessel whereas conducting vital actions on the Outer Continental Shelf, ensuing within the lack of place.

Without going into element on the place and when the incident occurred, the joint alert mentioned that the OSV misplaced place whereas hooked up to a wellhead, severing the wellhead tree and inflicting a lubricant launch on the platform deck and to the surroundings.

Safety Alerts are issued by BSEE to tell the offshore oil and fuel business of the circumstances surrounding an incident or a close to miss, and in addition include suggestions that ought to assist stop the recurrence of such an incident on the OCS.

The full textual content of the protection alert, Coast Guard Alert 01-15 or BSEE Alert #315, will be learn in full under:

DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEM FAILURES ON OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSELS ENGAGED IN OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS IN THE U.S. OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF

Discussion: This Joint Safety Alert addresses a dynamic positioning (DP) incident involving an Offshore Supply Vessel (OSV) which resulted in a lack of place whereas conducting a vital Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) exercise. The OSV was hooked up to a wellhead, misplaced place and severed the wellhead tree inflicting a lubricant launch on the platform deck and to the surroundings. Immediately previous to the place loss, the OSV had a number of DP system alarms and failures, together with lack of bow thruster and engine management. No try was made to determine or right the causes of those failures and the operations continued.

At the time of the place loss, the OSV was being utilized to assist pump and electrical line tools which was related to the properly on the time of the incident. Specifically, when the vessel misplaced place, the vessel operator was within the strategy of eradicating a downhole DX plug from the properly through wireline. High strain pump traces have been additionally related to the properly, though precise pumping operations weren’t in progress. When the vessel misplaced place, the Christmas tree was sheared from the properly due to the pressure exerted on it by advantage of the related excessive strain traces. Severe penalties have been averted as a result of a subsurface security valve was activated and there was an absence of hydrocarbon circulate from the properly.

The OCS exercise carried out was vital because of the brief time to terminate and the potential uncontrollable launch of hydrocarbons from a properly with identified sustained casing strain. The Coast Guard and the BSEE are issuing this joint Safety Alert as a result of we share jurisdiction on the OCS and want to spotlight the significance of an OSV’s Safety Management System (SMS) and a leaseholder’s Safety and Environmental Management System (see Reference 1).

This incident highlights the next vital points:

Alarms: The Coast Guard and BSEE stress the significance of correctly acknowledging and investigating all alarms, and taking quick and optimistic corrective motion previous to initiating or continuing with any vital OCS exercise.

SMS: The OSV was not required to and didn’t have an International Safety Management (ISM) Code certificates. The Coast Guard reminds OSV homeowners and operators that an efficient SMS is crucial to protected operations, notably when these operations are vital OCS actions. Had the OSV carried out an efficient SMS, as described within the ISM code, it doubtless would have:

Had satisfactory emergency disconnect functionality and procedures for lack of place occasions and personnel skilled in these procedures. In this case the OSV didn’t have satisfactory emergency disconnect functionality, procedures or coaching data;
Ceased the vital OCS exercise after experiencing a number of DP system failures – together with engine and thruster loss – and never have resumed the exercise till after correcting the causes of the DP system failures (see Reference 2).

Dynamic Positioning: The Coast Guard strongly recommends homeowners and operators of OSVs utilizing DP to comply with DP steering supplied in reference 3 (Marine Technology Society (MTS) DP operations steering) when conducting vital actions on the U.S. OCS. See the relevant discover on this subject printed within the Federal Register (77 FR 62247, October 12, 2012) for extra particulars. Had this OSV adopted the MTS DP operations steering it doubtless would have:

Had a DP system that met a minimal of DP Equipment Class 2 (DP-2). The concerned OSV’s DP system was DP Equipment Class 1 (DP-1), which signifies that a lack of place might happen within the occasion of a single failure. (see Reference 3, paragraph 4.1);
Had an Activity Specific Operating Guideline (ASOG) that prescribed emergency disconnect procedures and functionality to forestall tools harm and air pollution. The concerned OSV didn’t have an ASOG outlined. The pattern ASOG in MTS DP steering suggest the operator ought to “halt operations and initiate contingency procedures” for thruster and generator failures, which this OSV skilled previous to the lack of place incident. (see Reference 3, Appendix C);
Had a Critical Activity Mode of Operation (CAMO) outlined. The concerned OSV didn’t have a CAMO outlined. The pattern CAMO in MTS DP steering suggest the operator change working situation from “normal operations” to “informative/consultative status (risk assess)” when any change happens to the traditional operations of the DP system, which this OSV skilled previous to the lack of place incident. (see Reference 3, Appendix C);
Ensured a structured competence assurance program was utilized to all key DP personnel. At a minimal DP personnel must be required to reveal proficiency in understanding the redundancy idea and emergency procedures to reply within the occasion of a DP system failure. (see Reference 3, paragraph 4.14).

Leaseholder/operator SEMS: BSEE strongly recommends leaseholders/operators think about Coast Guard suggestions for DP vessels when evaluating potential hazards and establishing/implementing contractor protected work practices of their SEMS program (see 30 CFR §§ 250.1911 and 250.1914). BSEE reminds leaseholders/operators of their vital position in guaranteeing security and environmental hazards related to contracted vessels on their lease are correctly managed. For instance, leaseholders/operators ought to guarantee hazards related to a lack of place by contracted DP vessels are analyzed and managed with acceptable contractor protected work practices.

For further data, contact Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Massimi at (504) 671-2156 with the Coast Guard District 8 Prevention Division or Troy Trosclair at 504-736-2923 with the BSEE Gulf of Mexico Region.

Reference 1: BSEE/USCG Memorandum of Agreement OCS-07 “Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) and Safety Management Systems (SMS)” (April 30, 2013).

Reference 2: ISM Code Regulations 7 and 10 (2014 ed.).

Reference 3: DP Operations Guidance, Part 2 Appendix 2: DP Project /Construction Vessels (Dynamic Positioning Committee of the Marine Technology Society to assist within the protected and efficient administration of DP Operations (July 31, 2012).

Reference 4: Marine Technology Society Technical and Operations Guidance (TECHOP) “Defining Critical Activities Requiring Selection of Critical Activity Mode”, TECHOP_ODP_12_(O) (January 2014).

This and different present Safety Alerts issued by the BSEE will be discovered HERE.

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