Simon endures 3-weeker

by SM

Tue, 03 Jul 2007
After having successfully found work after 18 months of unpaid leisure, Simon has gone from the comfort of the sofa to working a 3-week hitch in the UK's Block 22 - otherwise known as the 'Block of Death'!

The project to which Simon has been assigned is a pair of 'High Pressure/High Temperature' development wells for a Canadian company based in the North Sea on the John Shaw semi-submersible. Block 22 is one of several areas containing overpressured reservoirs and is no stranger to serious accidents - hence the nickname 'Block of Death'! The Ocean Odyssey blowout occurred literally just across the water from the John Shaw.

Fortunately, training, experience and regulations have all improved dramatically since the 1980s, and should help minimise any unexpected incidents. And if all that fails and the well blows - then there's always the Quick Release System, where the drillpipe is cut and dropped and the anchors on one side of the rig are wound in to pull the rig away from the blowout.

But let's not think about that. Simon has already had far too much stress with near-death experiences in Italy recently...