Horrible Mechanical Failures: Looks Like the Tin Man's Undies After Taco Tuesday

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Horrible Mechanical Failures: Looks Like the Tin Man's Undies After Taco Tuesday

Wobert: Feb 4, 2002

Mighty Horse posted:

IIRC, this was what happens when you put a supercharged Ford 3.9 top end, on a bottom end from a non-supercharged 3.9.

I'm absolutely floored by this carnage. Is there any more information on this? Backstory, more pics, trip report?

# ¿ Nov 5, 2009 05:14

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# ¿ May 3, 2024 04:27

Wobert: Feb 4, 2002

If we're doing airplanes in here as well, I figure I'd contribute something from my industry:

I am a reservoir, not a drilling engineer, but from what I recall they were drilling this well and they hit an unknown formation and took a "kick" of natural gas at a much higher pressure than they expected. A bubble of gas rose between the drill string and the borehole.

The change in pressure of the drilling fluid was monitored and there are a series of rams on a device called a BOP or blow out preventer that can close tightly around or even cut through the drill string if it was really bad, near uncontrollable kick. One set of rams was known to be bad and was locked up, another set jammed up, and a third set didn't have the right tool in time as the "driller" didn't react in time. The rig ended up being evacuated before the drill pipe was ejected out of the ground and the bubble of gas reached surface and shot the drilling fluid completely out of the hole as the gas bubble caught on fire.

This is pretty simplified, but I was trying to get the point across. If people are interested, I know I have a lot more pics of various oilfield disasters, but I'd have to check my work computer tomorrow.

# ¿ Nov 19, 2009 04:15

Wobert: Feb 4, 2002

Not so much as a mechanical failure, but a failure of proper procedure and possible failure of safety components leading to a fire, and susquent drilling rig collapse near Ames, Kansas. I haven't heard exact word on what caused this, but the derrickman, the one at the top of the derrick maneuvering stands of drill pipe, died in the blast.

quote:

Oil rig collapse kills 1
By Cass Rains, Staff Writer

A Kansas man was killed and another injured when an oil rig collapsed Saturday east of Ames.

Major County Sheriff�s Office responded to the accident a half mile east of town at 7:35 a..m. Ames
Fire Department and Major County Ambulance also responded.

Deputy Nick Holdeman said Gabriel Ovalle Tellez, 31, of Liberal, Kan., was killed. David Gonzalez,
of Hugoton, Kan., suffered a broken leg and other injuries and was taken by ambulance to Integris
Bass Baptist Health Center. Holdeman said Gonzalez was in good condition.

Holdeman said Tom Cat Drilling crew members hit total depth on the drilling rig and lost
circulation about 5:45 a.m. He said they were told to pull pipe out of the hole, and about 25
minutes later the rig collapsed.

The deputy said it appears to be an accident, and he will forward his investigation to Oklahoma
Occupa-tional Safety and Health Administra-tion, which will investigate. Tom Cat, of Wichita, Kan.,
had contacted the state agency, Holdeman said.

Crew members remained at the site hours later, and Holdeman said they were �pretty shaken up.�

�They had been friends for a long time,� he said..

When asked if she heard anything, a nearby resident said she had heard noise all night from the
drilling site.

�They were pretty busy,� said the woman, who did not wish to give her name.

# ¿ Jan 12, 2010 04:33

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