Alert 98 – 31 Drilling Breaks
Alert 98 – 31 Drilling Breaks
WHAT HAPPENED:
A drilling rig experienced a chain of events, which could have resulted in a loss of well control. The rig was drilling ahead when it experienced a drilling break. They continued to drill as instructed by the Operator. A few minutes later the rig was struck by lightening, which damaged the Pit Volume Totalizer (PVT) system and knocked one mud pump offline. They slowed the other pump and made quick repairs to the offline pump. When pumping resumed the toolpusher noticed zero pump pressure and
realized a gas bubble had worked its way into the wellbore. The wear busing was blown out of the stack. When the toolpusher closed the Hydril Annular Preventer, fluid cut through the rubber. He then closed upper rams but it appeared the rams did not function. He then closed the lower rams to shut in well. Rig personnel then proceeded to properly kill the well.