Oil Rig Disaster Compilation

I'm an engineer in the O&G industry (well construction), and can answer the BOP question for you. BOP's typically have several options available for controlling pressure: annular preventer/s; pipe rams; shear rams and blind rams. They all serve different functions, depending on the pipe/casing/tubular that's in the well, or even if the well is empty at the stage it is being used. Similarly, they all have different pressure ratings. This is the reason BOP's are quite large - these several sub-components are all stacked upon one another. The reason you can't just have a valve that closes on the BOP, is that in most well construction operations you have a tubular of some sort running through the BOP. As a result, you can use things like the annular preventer - which looks somewhat like a giant rubber donut - to be compressed around the pipe and seal the annular cavity (ie. the gap between the outside of tubular and the inside of the BOP). Given these are large deformable rubber elements (with some sort of metal backup, effectively), they're usually on the lower end of the pressure rating scale, but they have the added benefit of being suitable for sealing around tubulars of various diameters - from small to large. Similarly, they can also be stripped through (ie. the tubular can possibly be moved up or down while the annular is engaged and providing some level of pressure control). These are pretty commonly used for things like back-side pressure tests at lower pressures (eg. packer or casing tests). In contrast, the next option being the pipe rams rely on you knowing the outer diameter (OD) of the pipe that is situated across the rams - and you typically have a given set of variable bore pipe rams that are suitable for sealing a specific range of tubular OD's (eg. 3-1/2" - 5-1/2 and 4-1/2" - 7" OD; different rams). As a result, if the equipment across the BOP (aka. "the stack") at the time is outside the OD range of these rams, then they can't be used (ie. won't seal and/or will cause mechanical damage to the rams/equipment). If the equipment is in the range of the OD's, then you use the appropriate pipe ram to seal and usually with a higher pressure rating. The added benefit of the pipe ram is that you can usually "hang off" the tubulars in the rams, provided the weight is within the design range. This potentially allows you to disconnect yourself from the drill/tubular string without having to shear the pipe - provided you've got the right equipment in the hole to allow this disconnect. Next you have the shear rams - and they're literally as the name suggests - designed to cut through tubulars of certain size/wall thickness and seal the BOP. Typically reserved for critical situations, and sometimes testing when there are no tubulars in the well. These usually have pretty high pressure ratings. Finally there's the blind rams - these are literally to used when there's nothing in the well, and they seal the BOP. It's not uncommon to find combination blind/shear rams (ie. the shear rams are used as blind rams when there's nothing in the well). Again, these also have pretty high pressure ratings. Now all the above sounds fairly straight forward - but keep in mind this is just the function of the individual rams/annulars. There's nothing on the BOP side that stops potential influx from inside the tubulars. As such, you typically have some sort of well control valve that you will install on the tubular string (eg. TIW's, Full Opening Safety Valves etc.), or something like the IBOP's (Internal BOP) on the top drive, in order to control the influx of fluids from inside the pipe. You actually still need to know exactly what tubular is across the stack at all times, and also where any changes in OD are on the given tubular (eg. drill pipe body may be 5" OD, but you also have tool joints that are around 6-5/8" OD, for about 1-2 feet at each end of the pipe... so you need to make sure the tool joints aren't across the given ram/annular you're planning to seal with). Also, on semi-submersibles and drill ships, the drill string will heave with the rig (ie. move up and down with the wave motion, as the rig/ship rises and falls); while the BOP is effectively locked to bottom on the wellhead/conductor. As a result - in anything but perfectly dead calm weather - you need to ensure you have some sort of motion compensation activated for the drill string (eg. compensator; or active heave draw works). This effectively tries to counteract the movement of the rig by moving the drill-string up or down in the opposite direction to the rig movement, making it somewhat stationary downhole. If you don't use such compensation and you close the annular, you'll effectively be stripping through the annular constantly (ie. moving up/down) and will wear it prematurely, and possibly damage it (eg. changing OD such as the tool joint trying to pass through it). Similarly for the pipe rams - if you manage to shut them on the pipe without compensation - you're effectively locking the pipe to the seabed... so the pipe left between the pipe ram and the rig floor will effectively be exposed to the tensile and compressive forces imparted to it as the rig heaves up and down. This could buckle the pipe in the riser; part the pipe under tension; or even damage the rams. Oh, and for semi-subs and drill ships you also need to take tidal movements into account - as this can move your pipe potentially several meters (ie. 20ft) relative to the BOP, depending on if it's high/low tide, and the tidal patterns in the region you're operating (some areas have crazy tides moving large distances over short times, while some have minimal movement over the same relative time).

Money/profits is valued over safety and human life in so many of these oil rig disasters. It’s really disheartening that nothing seems to change.

It always surprises me that Piper Alpha didn't have some kind of lockout-tagout system in place for "not to be started under any circumstances" situations.

hell yeah dude, i love listening to your stories, its about time we had a long form compilation :)

Mad respect for roughnecks, most of us aren't cut out for such a grueling job.

It is absolutely insane to me that the paperwork for different components of the same repair job weren't kept together while the job was ongoing. A paperclip or stapler and a end of shift discussion would have saved a crew full of lives, the health of the North Sea, an entire oil rig, and millions/billions of dollars.

I like this format of compilations. 👍

Been binging your content man, appreciate the level of understanding of not only the numerous dangers but also the people who live and make their livelihoods on and below the waves. Many thanks 👍🍻

I have to say You put your videos,posts and content together really very impressively I’ve enjoyed your content for sometime now and just wanted to say thanks Keep posting your videos watching what you compile is much more entertaining than the crap on Uk terrestrial television

It's absolutely ridiculous that the other 2 platforms continued pumping oil and gas even though they could clearly see the flames from 20 miles away. Not having authority to shut down production is ridiculous but unfortunately it shows the mentality back then that production takes priority over everything else basically because of money. It seems unthinkable that production superseded lives.

I'm rewatching them just cause I like the way you explain everything and your voice.

Things were looking up...I got off the WWII video and book kick, stopped paying as much attention to the news...got back into my interests and hobbies.... BOOM: I'm fully addicted to terrifying maritime disaster stories. ... I... guess I can make this work. ... (I am loving this channel though, seriously. Well done. Magnetic, enthralling storytelling. )

Thank you for this paper doll account the individual stories so people can really get the logistics risks and legal failures of these disasters. Again, why have you not been picked up for a streaming service or at the very least a syndication which even I had at one point? You're too damn good for YouTube

This is definitely one of the best maritime channels on YT. Such quality content. I hope your subs rise quickly.

On the ocean ranger crew they didn’t know how to work the ballast system and made things a lot worse. It was said if they had just cleaned up the water and went to bed they would have lived to see the sun rise.

Im always excited to see a new video in my feed from you mate. )

Your consistent quality content will hit 1M subs in no time! Keep doing your thing mate. Cheers

My dude just casually proposing a “tap style on-and-off BOP” that would save hundreds of millions per accident “if it’s possible.”

I can't say I enjoy these stories, but I am fascinated. Thank you for sharing them.

I love this channel! It’s one of my favorites. I would like to know more about the host too! I’m curious about his background, how he became such a great historian on ocean/ship/oil rigs etc. and what all experiences he has had himself.