Platform to be operational again by May 10 after April 20 fire

Unocal has shut in well with new blowout prevention equipment; no structural damage apparent to rig; production areas and platform structure not effected

Kristen Nelson

PNA Editor-in-Chief

Unocal Alaska anticipates that its King Salmon platform in northern Cook Inlet will be back in full production between April 27 and May 10 after a fire April 20, Unocal Alaska spokeswoman Roxanne Sinz told PNA April 22.

In an April 23 statement the company said “the K-17 well has been shut in with new blow-out prevention equipment and is safe. The structural integrity of the facility has been assessed as suitable for current operations.”

A pressure seal will be installed in the well to facilitate investigation and to restore the facility to production, and the platform is expected to be back in full production between April 27 and May 10.

Unocal had said April 22 that no structural damage to the rig was apparent and that production areas and the platform structure were not effected.

Cause under investigation

Four people were injured. Three were treated and released at local hospitals, she said. The fourth person was sent to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle as a precautionary measure with a burn to his hand and a burn to his face, Sinz said. The company said April 22 that the worker at Harborview was in satisfactory condition.

Of the workers treated and released in Alaska, one received a shoulder injury, one was treated for smoke inhalation and one received a first-degree burn.

Damage occurred to the drilling rig at the platform, which had been producing 7,000 barrels per day of crude oil gross, as well as natural gas which is used as fuel on the platform.

Although the U.S. Coast Guard responded, Sinz said workers on board the platform put out the fire within 45 minutes.

“We’re very proud of employees because they responded in accordance with the emergency training they have received,” she said.

Sinz also said that Unocal was pleased with the cooperation the company received from governmental and regulatory agencies.

Blowout preventer damaged

The blowout prevention system on the K-17 well is functioning, the company said, but the system was damaged in the fire and its integrity is uncertain.

Unocal said April 22 that “until a new blowout preventer can be installed on top of the damaged preventer and a plug placed in the well, the condition is considered stable but serious” and only personnel essential to current operations are being allowed onboard the platform.

Unocal said all production for the platform has been shut in and will remain shut in until the assessment is complete.

The Unocal Corp. investigation has begun. “The investigation team is not considered essential to the current assessment and repair operation. As such, they do not have access to the platform at this time,” the company said April 23. Both the Unocal Corp. investigation team and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration have been provided office space in Kenai to begin reviewing documents, Unocal said April 23.

Safety and rescue equipment, including two helicopters and work boats, continue on standby.

Replacing a pump in the well

Unocal said the well and platform immediately ceased operations and there was no oil spilled.

Unocal said its incident command response structure was immediately initiated April 20. Teams secured the platform and the company said it is working closely with all appropriate agencies.

Fifty-two workers were on the platform at the time of the incident. Twenty-six non-essential personnel were evacuated by helicopter to nearby platforms within the hour.

The King Salmon platform is 55 miles southwest of Anchorage and 24 miles northwest of Kenai.

King Salmon is one of four platforms at the McArthur River field in Cook Inlet. King Salmon, along with Grayling and Dolly Varden, was installed in 1967; Steelhead was installed in 1986.