Heated Argument on Rig Hours Before Blast

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704717004575268302434395796.html

MAY 26, 2010
Heated Argument on Rig Hours Before Blast
By MIGUEL BUSTILLO

KENNER, La. — More details have emerged about a disagreement between employees of rig operator Transocean Ltd. and oil giant BP PLC over how to begin shutting down the well just hours before it exploded in the Gulf of Mexico last month... Douglas H. Brown, Transocean's chief mechanic on the Deepwater Horizon rig, said key representatives from both companies had a heated argument in an 11 a.m. meeting on April 20. Less than 11 hours later, the well had a blowout, an uncontrolled release of oil and gas, killing 11 workers.

Mr. Brown said Transocean's crew leaders including the rig operator's top manager, Jimmy W. Harrell, strongly objected to a decision by BP's top representative, or "company man," over how to start removing heavy drilling fluid and replacing it with lighter seawater from a riser pipe connected to the well head. Such pipes act as conduits between the rig and the wellhead at the ocean floor, and carry drilling fluid in and out of the well. Removing heavy drilling fluid prior to sealing a well is normal, but questions have emerged about whether the crew started the process without taking other precautionary measures against dangerous gas rising into the pipe.

It isn't clear what Mr. Harrell objected to specifically about BP's instructions, but the rig's primary driller, Dewey Revette, and tool pusher, Miles Randall Ezell, both of Transocean, also disagreed with BP. However, BP was in charge of the operation and the BP representative prevailed, Mr. Brown said. "The company man was basically saying, 'This is how it's gonna be,' " said Mr. Brown, who didn't recall the name of the BP representative in question.

Mr. Brown said he didn't normally pay close attention to drilling discussions during the 11 a.m. meetings, which detailed all events on the rig that day. But he said he recalled the dispute, and the cynical reaction of Mr. Harrell as he walked away afterward, in light of the April 20 accident. "He pretty much grumbled in his manner, 'I guess that is what we have those pinchers for,' " Mr. Brown testified. He said it was a reference to the shear rams on the drilling operation's blowout preventer, which are supposed to sever the main pipe in case of a disaster. The blowout preventer failed to stop gas from rising to the surface, causing the explosion, BP has said.

Mr. Harrell hasn't testified and declined repeated requests for comment. Donald Vidrine, listed on Transocean's documents as BP's "company man" on April 20, couldn't be reached for comment. Mr. Revette was among the 11 workers who were killed...

:hide:

of BP's actions.

...these rigs have been connected "Real Time" to the home office through Sat links.
ALL decisions are ultimate made there.
In the past, Tool Pushers and Company Men made the decisions on location.
That changed many years ago, about the time I left the Oil Field.

:thumbsup:

goons find him and suicide him.

Was he one of the eleven that died? If not, where is he? He needs to be subpoena'ed. Or maybe even arrested.