A DANGEROUS incident involving the jack-up rig, Enhancer, in the closing weeks of 2008 has finally made the light of day.
Following the recent completion of an appraisal well in the Esmond field (43/13a), an incident occurred which resulted in a 220ft section of 30in conductor and the rig’s so-called Texas deck falling to the seabed.
It accounts for the rig remaining on location long after it had physically completed the well in early-November. This was designed to test the depleted field for gas storage purposes. These hazards are extremely heavy objects in excess of 30 tonnes and 20 tonnes, respectively, according to the Sea Fish Industry Authority’s Kingfisher hazards service. Although located within a 500m safety zone, they are towards the perimeter.
Esmond field operator Star Energy, now wholly owned by Petronas, did not make a public statement at the time, but will have notified the relevant authorities. AIM-listed Encore Oil, 50% stakeholder in the Esmond venture, said nothing public either.
The Texas deck is the structure below the rotary table and rig floor where workers can access the blowout preventer stack. It surrounds the base of the BOP stack and is suspended from the cantilever (where the rig floor is located) by adjustable cables.
We are advised that Maersk no longer has any link with the rig in the above story. Maersk Enhancer was sold on June 1, 2007 and changed both name and owner. It was renamed Energy Enhancer and is now owned by Northern Offshore. Energy apologises unreservedly for the error.