# NTSB Safety Recommendation P-80-022

**Citation:** P-80-022  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** National Transportation Safety Board  
**Effective:** 1980-03-13  
**Published:** 1980-03-13

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE SHELL OIL COMPANY: REQUIRE PRECONSTRUCTION MEETINGS BETWEEN ALL PARTIES ENGAGED IN EACH OFFSHORE DRILLING, PIPELAYING, AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITY, AND ADVISE ALL PARTIES AS TO THE LOCATION OF SUBMARINE PIPELINES AND OTHER KNOWN HAZARDS.

## Document text

NTSB safety recommendation P-80-022.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE SHELL OIL COMPANY: REQUIRE PRECONSTRUCTION MEETINGS BETWEEN ALL PARTIES ENGAGED IN EACH OFFSHORE DRILLING, PIPELAYING, AND ASSOCIATED ACTIVITY, AND ADVISE ALL PARTIES AS TO THE LOCATION OF SUBMARINE PIPELINES AND OTHER KNOWN HAZARDS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1980-03-13

Adopted Date: 1980-02-21

Overall Date Closed: 1983-05-17

Synopsis: ON JULY 15, 1979, 95 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF (OCS) IN SHELL OIL COMPANY'S (SHELL) SOUTH PASS, BLOCK 62, FIELD, A 14-INCH SOUTHERN NATURAL GAS COMPANY TRANSMISSION LINE OPERATING AT A PRESSURE OF 900 PSIG WAS SNAGGED AND RUPTURED BY A GRAPPLING HOOK FROM THE ANCHOR-HANDLING VESSEL PETE TIDE II, WHILE THE VESSEL WAS GRAPPLING FOR AN ANCHOR PENDANT FROM THE SEMI SUBMERSIBLE DRILLING RIG OCEAN QUEEN. THE RESULTING EXPLOSION AND FIRE CAUSED THE DEATH OF TWO PERSONS AND INJURIES TO FOUR OTHERS. DAMAGE TOTALED OVER $1,500,000.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA79MP023

Report Number: PAR-80-01

Addressee Name: Shell Oil Company

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-05-17

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-10-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: SHELL OIL COMPANY LETTER: SHELL OFFSHORE, INC. (SOI) REPRESENTATIVE IS INSTRUCTED TO BOARD DRILLING RIGS, DERRICK BARGES, PIPELINE LAY BARGES, ETC., WHEN THEY COME TO AN SOI LOCATION TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS, AND INSURE THAT THEY ARE FURNISHED WITH PLATS OF ALL HAZARDS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1983-05-17

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-80-022>
- Source ID: `ntsb-pipeline`
- SHA-256: `2aba17567aafb8b4833e8e7710bbaffd8184c10c51cb352dfc236c851319d980`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:57:24.741Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T03:23:52.345Z
- Document slug: `ntsb-recommendation-p-80-022`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "recordKind": "ntsb_safety_recommendation",
  "safetyRecommendationNumber": "P-80-022",
  "recommendationMode": "Pipeline",
  "topicMode": "Marine, Pipeline",
  "ntsbNumber": "DCA79MP023",
  "priority": "CLASS II",
  "overallStatus": "Closed - Acceptable Action",
  "overallStatusAcronym": "CAA",
  "overallDateClosed": "1983-05-17",
  "lastModifiedDate": "2025-05-29",
  "reportNumber": "PAR-80-01",
  "reportUrl": "https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA79MP023.aspx",
  "transmittalLetterUrl": "http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/P80_19_22.pdf",
  "addressees": [
    {
      "addresseeName": "Shell Oil Company",
      "addresseeStatusAcronym": "CNLA",
      "addresseeStatus": "Closed--No Longer Applicable",
      "addresseeDateClosed": "1983-05-17",
      "addresseeDetails": [
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": false,
          "communicationDate": "1982-10-18",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": "SHELL OIL COMPANY LETTER:  SHELL OFFSHORE, INC. (SOI) REPRESENTATIVE IS INSTRUCTED TO BOARD DRILLING RIGS, DERRICK BARGES, PIPELINE LAY BARGES, ETC., WHEN THEY COME TO AN SOI LOCATION TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS, AND INSURE THAT THEY ARE FURNISHED WITH PLATS OF ALL HAZARDS."
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1983-05-17",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        },
        {
          "addresseeAcronym": null,
          "addresseeOrganizationType": "P-Private Industry",
          "isFromNtsb": true,
          "communicationDate": "1982-10-08",
          "communicationType": "Official Correspondence",
          "communicationContents": ""
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```