http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article1335150.ece

And, from the company leader in lobbying against stronger safety measures in the Gulf of Mexico, lobbying in favor of Rigs to Reefs, and implicated in human trafficking charges.….Richard Charter

Eoin O’Cinneide 21 August 2013 15:16 GMT

Fire: workers reported dead, missing as explosion on Black Elk Energy platform in Gulf of Mexico sends at least four to hospital
KLFY

Eoin O’Cinneide 21 August 2013 15:16 GMT

Three workers who died and others who were injured in an explosion on a Black Elk Energy platform in the Gulf of Mexico late last year were not following due safety practices at the time, the operator has said.

Subcontracted workers who were welding on the shallow-water production platform in West Delta Block 32 which led to the 16 November blast were not given proper safety training or appropriate supervision, the platform owner said, citing an independent report into the incident.

The explosion occurred as Louisiana-based contractor Grand Isle Shipyard was carrying out maintenance work on the platform about 32 kilometres offshore in about 21 metres of water. The platform had been shut in since about mid August.

There were 22 people aboard the platform when the fire broke out, one of whom was pronounced dead shortly after the blast with one more missing, later pronounced dead. Nine of them were injured and airlifted to hospitals in Louisiana with one later dying.

Another 11 were safely evacuated from the rig. Fourteen of those on board and all of the injured were employees or subcontractors of Grand Isle Shipyard.

However, following an independent report from ABSG Consulting, which was carried out in coordination with the US Bureau of Safety & Environmental Enforcement, Black Elk criticised Grand Isle for allegedly going against an agreement not to subcontract out any of the maintenance work.

“Although Grand Isle committed in its contract to not use subcontractors on Black Elk Energy projects, all of the workers performing the welding involved in the incident were employed by DNR Offshore and Crewing Services, a subcontractor of Grand Isle,” Black Elk said.

“ABSG determined that use of the DNR Offshore subcontractor without notifying Black Elk Energy was one of several causes of the incident.

“ABSG also determined other causes were that Grand Isle and DNR Offshore employees failed to adequately follow safe work practices for performing welding and failed to stop work when unsafe conditions existed.”

Black Elk also pointed out that the subcontractors were all Filipinos and that, while Filipino offshore workers “have a deserved reputation for competence and professionalism”, Grand Isle had shown an “apparent failure to provide proper safety training and appropriate supervision”.

ABSG’s report said Black Elk had “established procedures for safe work practices for equipment isolation, job safety analyses, and stop work authority” and confirmed that a contract was signed between Black Elk and Grand Isle agreeing to follow the former’s safety standards and provide adequate training.

“On the day of the incident, the safe isolation of equipment, hazardous waste programme, job safety analyses, and stop work authority procedures were not followed,” the report found.

“Workers cut, grinded, and welded on the open sump discharge pipe. Flammable vapors from the open sump discharge pipe ignited and subsequently reached the vapors and oil in the three tanks,” it continued.

Special thanks to Richard Charter