Alert 04 – 01 Drive Pipe Hammering Incident

WHAT HAPPENED:

While driving 30” drive pipe, a hard area in the formation was contacted. The crew continued to hammer trying to get past the area. When the drive pipe broke through the formation it fell from the hammer approximately 10-15 feet before contacting the elevators. Upon contact with the horseshoe elevators the lift nubbin (driving swage) collapsed and was ejected from the joint, striking the Iron Roughneck and Driller’s shack, coming to rest on the rig floor. The joint of drive pipe continued past the elevator and stopped 25½ feet below the rotary. No injuries were associated with this incident but the potential for serious or fatal injury was HIGH! Rig crews had covered a JSA and had a pre-job meeting, which in part was the reason for no injuries to personnel.

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