Update: PRESS RELEASE TotalFinaElf E&P Indonesie: Incident on rig Maera on 1st March 2002
Friday, March 1 2002 - 01:09 PM WIB
On Friday, 1st March 2002 at around 15.30 hrs (local time) an uncontrolled eruption of reservoir effluent (gas and condensate) occurred during the drilling operation being performed by the rig Maera at the Tunu E5 well location on the Tunu field in the Mahakam Delta.
No person was injured during the incident and all personnel on the Maera drilling barge were immediately evacuated to safety.
During the operations, the well was noticed unstable and the Blow-Out-Preventers were closed with wellhead pressure recorded at 150 bar. Pressure below BOP continued to increase up to 315 bar when for unknown reasons a gas and mud flow developed requiring immediate and full evacuation of the rig.
The pollution prevention plan was immediately launched.
Around 18.00 hrs (local time) a fire started and developed on the rig.
Operations are currently underway to secure the site and an investigation has been launched into the cause of the incident.
TotalFinaElf currently produces 1 .6 BCFD gas from the Tunu Field with an overall gas production of 2.4 BCFD supplying the Bontang LNG Plant.
The Tunu Field within the Mahakam Block is operated by TotalFinaElf Exploration & Production Indonesie (50%) in partnership with Inpex (50%).
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