NTSB Safety Recommendation P-80-019

NTSB safety recommendation P-80-019.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE SHELL OIL COMPANY: REVISE ITS POLICY REGARDING PIPELINE MARKING IN THE VICINITY OF PROTECTION ANCHOR PATTERNS TO PROVIDE A RADIUS OF PROTECTION WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ALL POTENTIAL ANCHORING CONFIGURATIONS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1980-03-13

Adopted Date: 1980-02-21

Overall Date Closed: 1988-07-25

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 - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1988-07-25

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-10-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: SHELL OIL COMPANY LETTER: ALL PIPELINES AND OTHER HAZARDS WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE WORK LOCATION WILL BE MARKED WITH BUOYS. IN AREAS OF HIGHLY CONGESTED PIPELINES, A SAFE WORK AREA LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE PROPOSED OPERATION MAY BE OUTLINED BUOYS, IN LIEU OF BUOYING EACH INDIVIDUAL LINE.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-05-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE CONCERNS RAISED IN SAFETY RECOMMENDATION P-80-19 DEALT WITH OUR POLICY OF PIPELINE MARKING IN THE VICINITY OF ANCHOR PATTERNS. THE POLICY ESTABLISHED BY OUR SURVEY DEPARTMENT REGARDING THIS SUBJECT IS AS FOLLOWS. ALL PIPELINES AND OTHER KNOWN HAZARDS WITHIN 1000 FEET OF THE WORK LOCATION OR WITHIN 1000 FEET OF ANCHOR LOCATIONS OR WITHIN THE ANCHOR PATTERN SHALL BE BUOYED OR OTHERWISE MARKED. THE POSITION OF THE ANCHOR HANDLING VESSEL, RIG OR BARGE WILL BE DETERMINED WITH REFERENCE TO THESE PIPELINES OR OTHER HAZARDS BEFORE THEY ARE PERMITTED TO CONTACT THE SEAFLOOR. ANCHORS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO BE DROPPED CLOSER THAN 300 FEET TO ANY PIPELINE OR KNOWN HAZARD AT ANY TIME. IF ANCHORS ARE TO BE DROPPED ACROSS A PIPELINE OR KNOWN HAZARD, THEY MUST BE AT LEAST 500 FEET PAST THE PIPELINE OR KNOWN HAZARD. IN AREAS WHICH ARE HEAVILY CONGESTED WITH PIPELINES OR OTHER KNOWN HAZARDS, SAFE ANCHORING AREAS MAY BE BUOYED OR OTHERWISE MARKED WHERE ANCHORS CAN BE DROPPED SAFELY. THIS MEANS THAT BUOYS ARE PLACED WHERE ANCHORS CAN BE DROPPED INSTEAD OF IDENTIFYING ALL AREAS WHERE THEY CANNOT BE DROPPED. IF AT ANY TIME AN ANCHOR MUST BE REPOSITIONED, PIGGYBACKED, OR GRAPPLED A SHELL OFFSHORE INC. (SOI) REPRESENTATIVE MUST BE CONSULTED. IF, AT ANY TIME, THE SOI REPRESENTATIVE OR THE CONTRACTOR QUESTION THE ABILITY OF THE PERSONNEL ON THE SCENE TO AVOID THE KNOWN HAZARD THEN SURVEY ASSISTANCE MUST BE OBTAINED.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-04-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-07-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence