Fieldwood Energy LLC, Houston, reported that the Nov. 20 explosion at its West Delta 105 “E” platform, known as Echo, occurred as employees of Fieldwood-contracted Turnkey Cleaning Services (TCS) were cleaning a heater-treater.
During the cleaning process, one Turnkey employee was fatally injured and a second suffered what Fieldwood describes as “visible injuries”—the company initially described that injury as “serious” (OGJ Online, Nov. 21, 2014). That employee was transported immediately to West Jefferson Hospital in Marrero, La., for evaluation and treatment.
Two other individuals who complained of ringing in their ears were also flown to that hospital to be evaluated. All three individuals have since been released from the hospital.
The Echo platform had not been producing oil or gas for more than a week to undergo routine maintenance when the incident occurred. No wells were producing at the time.
Fieldwood says the explosion was an isolated pressure event that occurred inside the heater-treater, and not a well explosion or well blowout. The incident was not related to drilling, and no fire occurred.
The incident was contained immediately after it occurred with no damage to the environment, platform, or wells, Fieldwood reports. The US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is investigating.
TCS is a Maurice, La.-based industrial cleaning service company specializing in the cleaning of offshore facilities, including the cleaning of heater-treaters, which separate oil from water and other materials.
