Safety Alert #: DEV DG-I / SA – 05 - 2022 /23

OVERHEAD POWER LINE HIPO ASSET DAMAGE INCIDENT

Type of Incident:  Drilling Contractor used generic JSA for the Rig Move
Activity and there was no specific risk analysis for critical
Property Damage Level I-HIPO
activities such as Crossings under the Overhead Power
Location: Line.
 Drilling Contractor Supervisor did not measure/verify
Rig Move from BG-1913 to BG-1998
the height of Overhead Power Lines during Route
Survey. Minimum vertical safe distance from the
Date & Time of Incident: overhead lines was not followed.
13 September 2022 @ 15:30 hours

Incident Description in Brief: Recommended Corrective Actions / Lessons

Drilling Rig was released from BG-1913 and started to
move within Burgan field from BG-1913 to BG-1998 (27.5
KM) through main rig road. rig convoy crossed five
overhead power lines safely, near Burgan central camp
cluster, before crossing the 6th and 7th Overhead Power
lines, are close to each other, chief mechanic tilted the
crown section then Rig crossed the 6th overhead power
line safely, While the rig was crossing 7th overhead Power
Line (Sulaibiya AW – Mina Abdullah C) 132 KVA at tower
MEW-87 (which is 53.9 MTRS, lowest among all the
overhead power lines) in crown tilted position (mast
height 52.78 MTRS), the tilted Rig derrick slightly touched
to the overhead power line. This caused spark and led to
burst of Kenworth (prime mover) tires with loud noise &
power supply disruption.
Losses:
Power disruption. Kenworth tires burst.
Learnt:
 Strict implementation of the guidelines from Kuwait
Ministry of Electricity and Water (KMEW) for vertical
safe distance from Overhead Power Lines.
 Drilling Contractor Management to send written
instructions to strictly follow Rig Move Route Survey
Procedure including the Height of all Overhead Power
Lines. Rig has to be equipped with height measuring
device such as Laser gun.
 Based on the height of Overhead Power Lines &
clearance with the mast, appropriate rig move
procedure to be followed by either lowering sub-base or
lowering mast as per OEM recommendation.

Potential Outcome:
Multiple Fatality

What went wrong?

 Drilling Contractor Supervisors did not follow the Rig
Specific Rig Move Procedure for Route Survey
requirements – (STP & Drilling Supt were not part of Rig
Route Survey).
 The Overhead Power line Towers don’t have any display
of Height & Voltage of Power Lines.
 Drilling Contractor did not implement the previous
lessons learnt from a similar incident that happened in
February 2019 to follow safe vertical distance from
overhead power lines.