NEW ORLEANS - The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) today issued recommendations for safety measures developed from the two investigations of offshore incidents involving the use of hydraulic casing jacks, where one incident resulted in a fatality. The recommendations are being distributed through a Safety Alert, a tool BSEE uses to inform the offshore oil and gas industry of the circumstances surrounding an incident or a near miss. The alert also contains recommendations that should help prevent the recurrence of such an incident on the Outer Continental Shelf.
In both incidents, the traveling slips on the hydraulic pulling units were dislodged when a bind was suddenly released and the pipe was projected out of the hole. This safety alert underscores the importance of existing safety requirements and makes recommendations to operators.