Term Paper problem (as-is) Case StudyThe Deepwater Horizon Accident: What

Happened and Why?

BYHaitham muhsen: hxm142930@utdallas.eduCS/SE 6361 Executive Master’s of Science in Software EngineeringUnder guidance of Dr. Lawrence ChungUniversity of Texas at Dallas

The Deepwater Horizon Accident: What Happened and Why?

Agenda

• Introduction• Problem (as – is)• References• Questions

Introduction• The Deepwater Horizon

drilling rig explosion refers to the April 20, 2010 explosion and subsequent fire on the Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU), which was owned and operated by Transocean and drilling for BP in the Macondo Prospect oil field about 40 miles (60 km) southeast of the Louisiana coast..

Introduction• The explosion killed 11 workers and injured 16 others. The

explosion caused the Deepwater Horizon rig to burn and sink, resulting in a massive offshore oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the world, and the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history.

Introduction

Introduction• By the time the well was capped on July 15, 2010 (87 days later),

an estimated 4.9 million barrels(210,000,000 U.S. gallons) of oil had leaked into the Gulf off the coast of Louisiana.

• The spill area hosts around 8,332 species, including more than 1,270 fish, And other different species.

Introduction

Deep-Water Drilling• Riser • BOP (Blowout preventer)• Dynamic positing or anchoring

the vessel. • The well was located over 5,000

feet beneath the water’s surface in the sea.

• The well deep is 13000 feet.• Cost about $600 000 /day.

Introduction

Deep-Water Drilling• Riser • BOP (Blowout preventer)• Dynamic positing or anchoring

the vessel. • The well was located over 5,000

feet beneath the water’s surface in the sea.

• The well deep is 13000 feet.• Cost about $600 000 /day.

Introduction

Deep-Water Drilling• No thing will be touched by

human hands, all are dong using ROV.

Problem (as – is)What happened and why?

• “It is difficult to get your head around exactly what happened”…. Roland Horne is the Thomas Davies Barrow Professor in the Department of Energy Resources Engineering in the School of Earth Sciences at Stanford University.

• Preliminary findings from BP's internal investigation released by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on May 25, 2010 indicated several serious warning signs in the hours just prior to the explosion.

Problem (as – is)

What happened and why?

Problem (as – is)What happened and why?

• Equipment readings indicated gas flowing into the well, which could signal an impending blowout. The heavy drilling mud in the pipes initially held down the gas of the leaking well.

Problem (as – is)What happened and?

• Transocean executive stated that abnormal pressure had accumulated inside the marine riser and as it came up it "expanded rapidly and ignited." According to interviews with platform workers conducted during BP's internal investigation, a bubble of methane gas escaped from the well and shot up the drill column, expanding quickly as it burst through several seals and barriers before exploding. He said the event was basically a blowout. Survivors described the incident as a sudden explosion which gave them less than five minutes to escape as the alarm went off.

Problem (as – is)What happened and why ?

• The explosion was followed by a fire that engulfed the platform. After burning for more than a day, Deepwater Horizon sank on April 22, 2010. The Coast Guard stated to CNN on April 22, 2010 that they received word of the sinking at approximately 10:21 am.

Problem (as – is)What happened and why?

References

• http://engineeringfailures.org/?p=673• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_explosion• http://online.wsj.com/articles/u-s-judge-finds-bp-grossly-

negligent-in-2010-deepwater-horizon-disaster-1409842182• http://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/gulf-of-mexico-

restoration/deepwater-horizon-accident-and-response.html