GSM is routinely involved in the control of blowouts and wild wells around the world. With over 30 years experience in wild well control operations, GSM understands all phases of wild well control, including fire fighting, capping, snubbing, engineering, and operations. In many cases, GSM has succeeded after others have failed. GSM pioneered the application of engineering expertise to wild well control and, as a result, developed its exclusive software. Utilizing GSM’s vast experience and exclusive software, GSM’s approach to any wild well control situation is to model the wild well, establish realistic alternatives, analyze the alternatives, develop the wild well control procedure, and implement the procedure. This linear analytically engineered approach results in the most economical and expeditious solution to even the most complicated and severe blowout. GSM pioneered modern relief well technology. Long recognized as one of the leaders in drilling, GSM utilizes its total knowledge of drilling, directional drilling, and wild well control to design and implement relief well operations. GSM has successfully designed and supervised the deepest relief well ever drilled and the deepest well bore intercept ever achieved. GSM approaches these problem wells from both the technical and practical perspectives. Combining this technical approach with experience and practicality has proven successful in controlling wild wells as well as reducing pressure on existing well equipment to a minimum.

— A FEW HIGHLIGHTS —

TAIWAN — An underground blowout in Taiwan created a large crater adjacent to the location. It was the biggest blowout in Taiwan’s history and politically very sensitive. A competitor directed the operation for more than six months until the end of the year. Numerous control and kill attempts were unsuccessful. Shortly after the first of the year the competitor was released and GSM was given the opportunity to serve as project manager. The previous operator had left the well in a very precarious position with a packer stuck at a shallow depth. GSM’s exclusive well software was utilized to analyze the problem and design the kill procedure. Approximately four months were required to undo that which had been done by our predecessor and about two weeks to control the well utilizing GSM’s original plan.

NEW ZEALAND —New Zealand’s first ever blowout occurred in the McKee Field near New Plymouth. Deeper horizons were being investigated when a kick resulted in an underground blowout. Although almost 1800 feet of casing had been cemented to the surface, the flow fractured to the surface and a crater formed immediately beneath the rig. Time was of the essence as the dog house had collapsed into the crater and the rig was leaning toward the crater at an increasing rate. GSM’s software was used to model the blowout and design a multi-phase dynamic kill procedure. The procedure was implemented within a few hours, which saved the rig and limited the environmental impact.

VIETNAM — It was estimated that this well was capable of producing more than one-half billion cubic feet of gas per day. A kick was taken while attempting to trip for casing and the well blew out underground. Analysis of the data indicated that the well was fracturing to the surface and the semi was evacuated. Just prior to the last helicopter load, the well cratered to the sea floor. The boil drafted the rig. As plans were being made to drill a relief well and operations were underway to cut the anchor chains and remove the rig, the well bridged.

UZBEKISTAN — GSM was a member of a well control team organized to combat a deep high pressure, high temperature blowout in the remote interior of the former Soviet Union. The well was burning more than 150,000 barrels of oil per day from below 17,000 feet. On a bend in the major river for the area, Mingbulak #5 was an environmental danger. The well bridged after 30 days of operations.

KUWAIT — A glimpse of hell. Bob Grace was asked by Kuwait Oil Company to serve as Fire Fighting and Wild Well Control Coordinator for the giant Burgan Field. In his official capacity, Bob Grace was responsible for more than 300 well fires and blowouts and 17 fire fighting teams. Burgan is the second largest oil field in the world and was the most challenging in Kuwait. It was conquered in three months as opposed to the several years estimated by some experts.

EAST TEXAS — Spindle Top revisited. The oil industry began at Spindle Top in January 1901 with a spectacular blowout that rocked the United States into the Energy Industry and a new era. Reminiscent of this tremendous event, in August 1990, while drilling in a residential area, a kick taken at 13,126 feet resulted in an underground blowout. Subsequently, the drillpipe parted immediately below the intermediate casing at 8760 feet. GSM was selected as project manager for this very difficult blowout. GSM’s exclusive software was used to model the blowout and determine that the well was blowing out up the drillpipe, into the formation at the casing shoe. Due to hole conditions, surface control was not possible and a relief well was commenced. The relief well intercepted the drill collars in the blowout 246 feet above the bit and drilled beside the blowout to the bit. While drilling in contact with the drill collars 80 feet above the bit, circulation was lost and the blowout died. It is the first time in the history of the industry that a relief well was drilled without a plug back. Further, it was the first time in the history of the industry that a drill string was intercepted and followed to kill a blowout.

NORTH AFRICA — At what may be one of the biggest blowouts in African history, tubular failure resulted in an uncontrolled flow in excess of 180 MMSCFPD and 5000 BCPD into the shallow aquifers. As a result, a water well less than a football field’s distance from the blowout erupted, creating a crater 150 feet in diameter and 100 feet in depth. Fire roaring more than 300 feet into the Sahara sky made working at the well site difficult. GSM’s proprietary software was utilized to model the situation and define the control
procedure. The well was safely secured and unique fluid dynamics brought the dangerous desert blowout under control without further environmental impact.

BIGGEST BLOWOUT IN TEXAS’ HISTORY — Truly one of the most spectacular blowouts in the history of the industry. All surface control procedures had proven futile. After six months, GSM was appointed project manager. GSM successfully designed the facility to capture and market the gas while designing and implementing the deepest relief well in the history of the industry. A wellbore intercept was accomplished below 16,000 feet and controlled the well in a matter of minutes after completion of the intercept.