Chapter 2: The blow out.
And so, between laughter and funny comments, questions and other things related to the operation, the security talk of the day ended, and began that first difficult and hot day of June 20, 2002, after a few hours Juan de Dios, checked the time on his small cell phone and indicated 12:00 hours, While reviewing the log of the drillers, checking the development and technical data of that well called Caudaloso 2, he realized that there were only 2 wells in that area, the Caudalosos 1 and 2, being the first of these, explored and finished by the national drilling company (PEMEX), terminating it at the depth of 2166 meters.
-Strange? He thought inquisitively about this fact. -Why not at 2200 meters or 2300 meters like this one we are finishing?
And pondering these oil technicalities, he made the comment to Mike Ursulak, who appeared at that moment in the driller's house, which was placed about 9 meters high, with respect to the ground, on the drilling floor on the side of the drilling rig, Mike shrugged his shoulders and Juan de Dios amusedly told him, that apparently PEMEX had not continued drilling well 1, because it was so dangerous that they could not do it anymore.
And with a laugh of acceptance, the Canadian supervisor asked Juan de Dios.
-Do you know how to prepare and work the drilling mud?
-Of course! Juan answers. "I've spent half my life preparing mud.
-Well, then the order is to restore circulation, control the loss of mud and continue drilling to the depth of 2300 meters, and the fluid engineer added the sealing material to the mud, and we can start pumping it.
Listening to this, Juan put on his protective helmet, went out to the control console and activated the different pressure measurement and stroke counting systems per minute, as well as the gas detectors and with Edgar in the pressure control valve, and the supervisory staff taking readings in the throttling manyfold, as it is technically known. (A component of pipes and valves, which divert fluids from the well, to the gas-sludge separator and burner) activated by turning the acceleration knobs of the pumps, and slowly that thick and oily control fluid was introduced into that rugged well, which threatened to get out of control at any time, after more than half an hour of pumping control fluids, at a controlled rate of 40 strokes per minute, (SPM) the pressure indicators of the pumps gave the long-awaited signal, the introduced fluid returned and was not lost in its entirety, which indicated that the nutshell fragments had worked, plugging the micro cracks that had weakened the walls of the well 2, when the SPM counter indicated 1300, the pressure indicators began to move, that confirmed that the anti-loss material was working very well, clogging the micro fractures of the walls of the well, decreasing the loss and thus allowing the sludge to return to the surface, passing through the control lines towards the manyfold, and returning through the separator Sludge gas to the dams, which was where the pumps took the sludge to introduce it into the Well.
Thus completing what in oil technicalities, is known as the circulation cycle, and when the pressure was constant, stable and the gas-mud separator had done its job of sending the sludge to the dams, and the gas to the atmosphere, he proceeded to open the upper B. O. P. (Blow out preventer) warning the other workers through the loudspeaker. Operating The opening lever of the upper preventer, on the well closing remote control console, close to the driller's control board, and took the speaker to give the long-awaited warning, and with a well-modulated and acted voice said:
-Attention, attention! To all personnel involved in the operation; The mud is circulating!
Thus restoring confidence in that group of workers and technicians, whose job that day was precisely that, to control the well to continue drilling it, finish it and deliver it to the production department, joy was seen on the faces of the workers when they heard the warning of the driller, releasing the tension of being in danger, after an hour a call from the Company Man to the driller's house, through the internal telephone would totally change things, Luis Molina It instructed him to speed up pumping, to reduce the control operation time, and to continue with the drilling program.
-Knowledgeable.
Juan de Dios said lamenting the instruction, but before changing the pumping speed, moved by a bad feeling he gave notice to his supervisors.
Once the rig managuer Ron and the supervisor Mike had learned, he proceeded to gradually accelerate the pumps from 40 SPM to 45 SPM, and to 50 SPM, seeking a slow and gradual acceleration in the pumping rhythm, seeking not to suddenly destabilize the pressures, thus avoiding a pressure or water hammer, which could break the already flimsy walls of the well. managing to reach 55 SPM without loss of pressure with sustained sludge circulation, he was at it when he heard an imperative voice Telling.
-Speed him to 80 strokes per minute!
It was the rig managuer Ron, who with the characteristic desperation that preponderates in the conduct of trusted personnel, who work in international companies, in his eagerness to reduce operating costs, took the circular knob that regulated the speed of the pumps, giving an acceleration that indicated 120 SPM, returning it until the indicator marked the requested 80 SPM; Juan de Dios, taken by surprise did not have time to prevent it, Visibly upset he try to make the reckless Rig Managuer see, that his action could lead to a pressure blow that would break the walls of the well again, causing a new loss of circulation, and therefore the decrease of the column of control fluid, decreasing the hydrostatic pressure, which was after all what kept the gas and oil of the well at the bottom, stable and controlled; Ron Olsen, ignoring his comments, just looked at him sideways, telling:
"Keep it up until I give you another order.
And he left the control area.
At that moment the pressure and flow indicators in the well went to zero, with the loss of pressure the pumps accelerated and Juan hesitated and confused did not sound the alarm, called Edgar who was nearby to tell him.
-Let everyone know! I want them at their checkpoints that the well is going to get blow out!
And Edgar without hesitation proceeded to give the alarm, in that Juan recovered from his indecision, and pulled the knob that sounded an air bugle, pulled once, mentally counted 10 seconds and released it, thus complying with the protocol of codes of emergency situations that indicated that a short touch, warned people of a lack of control of well, the staff was put to the expectation when they heard the sound of that bugle, very similar to the sound that the boats make, Because normally the alarm is heard when the black column of fluids of the well bursts in the atmosphere, causing a loud roar like that of 1000 angry elephants, and not seeing the obvious and visible manifestation, they were confused and some went to their checkpoints, others to the meeting point and others ignored assuming that it was just another drill.
Ron Olsen and Luis Molina rushed and inquisitively up to the tower area, asking him with an accent of disgust, why he had sounded the well out of control alarm if there was not; Mike had been organizing people, ready to control and vent the oil gas bubble, in case it reaches the surface; Juan answered.
-I sounded the alarm because the pressure went to zero and the flow indicator on the line too! The pumps have accelerated and the circulation has been lost, that means that the walls were broken and the mud is being lost, therefore the well is going to be lack off control with great force, because of a pressure blow in the background, which caused here our desperate Canadian boss, who as much as I wanted to explain to him that this could happen, He ignored me and now I need everyone at their checkpoints; I tell you, here it comes! I want them at their checkpoints, that the well is going to be ripped out.
The crew personnel prepared to obey the driller, being arrested by a dry order from Ron.
- Don't go! And you sir, cannot sound the alarm or activate the emergency until you are sure of the event or accident; And there is no such thing!
"I'm sorry sir, but I'm not going to wait for the surface fluids to burst to close the well!" "And he shouted, turning to see his people. "You know that if there's one thing I can't stand, it's someone not doing their job; Everyone at their posts, I said!
Saying this he went to the remote locking system of the preventers, which placed near the well mouth, were operated from an auxiliary console on the drilling floor, and putting the lever in the closing position.
The top spherical preventer began to make its closing motion, which took 17 seconds to complete.
And Ron, visibly upset and aggressive, placed the lever in the open position, thus interrupting the closing movement.
Juan de Dios only turned away dismayed by the attitude of his boss, and turned to see his assistants who did not know what to do, and were only waiting for events.
At that, a tremendous and deafening sound sling burst into the place, followed by a terrifying and black column of crude oil and natural gas, coming from the well that burst furiously as if they were a dragon that threatened to cover everything.
The driller without wasting a second resumed the closing controls, and returning the lever to its closing position, the huge hydraulic valve restarted its slow closing movement, and at the same time activated the lower preventers, thus successfully closing in less time, while looking with his eyes at his troubled, confused and now frightened helpers, shouting at them:
-Everyone to their posts! The well is out of control; Edgar, to the burner! It's off! The pressure is very high; Defoliate it through the burner!
And Edgar who was moving awkwardly, because he had been surprised by a large quantity of that oily mud, which had bathed him almost covering him completely, all the personnel had mobilized to their checkpoints recovering from the surprise; Mike, seeing Edgar completely bathed in oil and mud, ordered him to change his overalls.
And Edgar, half, annoyed at being removed from his post, nodded and went to change his clothes, Ron remaining and replaced him as he returned; Juan de Dios from the drilling floor watched worriedly the high pressures registered by the indicators; Ron, hesitant and frightened, did not vent the pressures in time and the lines began to shake, forcing them to make a quick opening of the valve of 4 inches in diameter, which diverted the flows to the burner, The metal lines that led the flows from the manyfold to the burner vibrated, and were whipped when they felt the mad rush of the fluids of the well, desperately looking for a way out, as if they were a locked dragon struggling to escape, a tall and thin dark column emerged furiously from the tip of the burner, deafening the atmosphere with its thunderous roar; Mike proceeded to operate the electronic remote ignition system, which was running successfully,
forcing him to turn hunched over when he felt the sudden wave of heat, which radiated that black column when ignited; Juan who was further away also had to protect himself, seeing worried that the liquids spilled on the ground, were also on, and activated the alarm proceeding this time to give 2 bugles of 5 seconds, thus warning the fire emergency, the area was surrounded by a dense jungle of mesquite, and shouted uselessly to close the burner, without being able to be heard by the tremendous noise it made, that column of fire of the uncontrolled well called Caudaloso 2, the high column of the burner did not reach to consume completely, all the oil and gas that escaped from the bowels of the earth, falling some burning remains on the parched mesquite trees, which surrounded the Well area setting them on fire, causing the start of a forest fire, which if not controlled could turn several thousand hectares into ashes, causing a tremendous impact on the natural ecosystem of that area, the driller by company policies, in such a situation had to remain in the area of controls, from the drilling floor looked helplessly at the failed attempts of his assistants, to control that fire with industrial dry chemical powder extinguishers,
that they were more than useless, by the force of the wind blowing from the East, dispersing it before it achieved its function, which was to exhaust oxygen, thus proceeding to cut the cycle of the fire, again determined to leave the area of the tower, heading for the huge 5-ton Caterpillar forklift, which had the bucket opportunely enabled, which the operator used to move or accommodate large amounts of earth, climbed up and roared his powerful engine, he went immediately to some piles of earth removed on the side of that well area, and filling it with earth and debris, he went to the base of the burner, being protected from heat radiation by the cabin of the vehicle, thus managing to extinguish the lines of the burner that had been lit, seeing his useless effort because the fire was already advancing voraciously, devouring the mezquites that surrounded the installation, he moved the heavy vehicle away from the burner,
When he got off, he took a small firefighting axe.
And addressing the operator of the vehicle that was already approaching, he told him to bring more soil and bring it closer to the burned area in the mezquites jungle, he indicated that they bring shovels to try to put out with earth, surrounding and enclosing that fire that threatened to expand, he looked at Mike and Edgar when hurriedly interconnecting hoses to a water pump, and took the tip of the hose heading to the fire, to help those who were already shoveling dirt to the base of the fire, it was useless to try to get too close, since the heat radiation emitted by the burner was unbearable, he asked Edgar to help him carry the heavy fire hose into the fire and surround the burner, to be able to spray with water the burned part of the jungle that was within reach of the hose, While the other workers enabled another hose and another pump, they entered the fire, reckless and ready to extinguish every last spark of that fire.
-Edgar, to the base! He yelled at him. -To the base of the fire, we must attack it from here to return it, if we manage to cool the base of the fire it will be easier to extinguish it!
Suddenly, the friends were surrounded by large tongues of fire and smoke without finding an escape, and feeling a strong gust of wind very warm, Juan de Dios desperate, looking for the way out of that cloud of heat and smoke, sprinkled water around him, trying to break the circle of fire, which closed around him, that fire seemed determined to feed on him.
In the heat of the fire he managed to distinguish Edgar, who blinded by the smoke tried to get out of that trap, and threw the jet of the hose to help him and at the same time indicate his position.
"We'll have to jump Edgar!" The fire closes and locks us in.
-¿But; Where to? Edgar asked.
-Where you don't see fire! Juan replies. -The flame retardant fabric of the coveralls will prevent us from burning if we do it quickly! If we can't run to the exit, then run to the left and I run to the right so if there is only one exit it will be easier like this for the other.
"Nooo driller!... -Says Edgar. "I don't see any light that is not of fire and if we got together we got into it! Together we will get out!
As they agreed, the hose stopped spraying water and friends looked at each other, while a gust of hot air took away their time to think.
-RUUUNNN!
Edgar shouted heading to his friend's back, trying to drag him with him, but due to the humidity, the coveralls slipped like plastic, and Juan de Dios, destabilized by the pull, fell to the floor and rolled, feeling that one of his hands hit with something hot and got up screaming, And he got up screaming.
-EDGAARR!
While looking for him with his eyes on the course where he had disappeared, he still brought the fire axe he took from the forklift, and in a single blow cut a branch of one meter long, which he used as a blind man's cane, to make his way through the undergrowth.
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