Incidents under review at two platforms offshore Newfoundland

ExxonMobil Canada Properties is investigating an incident on the Hebron platform offshore Newfoundland last month that caused an injury to a crew member.

According to the Canada Newfoundland Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB), the staff member suffered an electric shock to the left hand after completing maintenance on a portable electric heater.

This occurred during reconnection of the heater through a temporary power cord to a 600-V, 4-A electric power source. The worker, who was wearing personal protective equipment at the time, received treatment from the onboard platform nurse.

Although no injury occurred, the incident could potentially have caused a fatality. The C-NLOPB is monitoring the investigation.

Hibernia Management and Development Co. is also probing an accident on the Hibernia platform that occurred in late May. During an operation to retrieve completion tubing from the wellbore, a section of the tubing weighing about 272 kg separated and fell about 5 m to the drill floor. The tubing dropped from the pick-up/laydown system while the pipe was being shifted from a vertical to a horizontal position.

Again, there were no injuries to personnel nor was anyone inside the pre-designated exclusion zone. However, the weight of the object and the distance it traveled could have led to a fatality in other circumstances.