re: Two killed, 1 injured in incident on Shell's Auger TLP in GOM

Hard to believe a cable designed to hold a full lifeboat failed with only two aboard.

I’ve been on rigs before when they lower them and drive them around on a calm day. Pretty routine operation usually.

Not sure what went wrong but RIP to those lost and prayers to their families.

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Right or wrong - Shell has social and ethical obligations to report if there is any environmental impact from an incident.
RIP to those lost

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I agree, Rest in Peace to those killed. What a shitty time to happen too.

But I think you are missing our point. Whatever Shell's social, ethical, or even legal obligations are.. and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that by regulation, in EVERY incident press release they are required to identify any environmental impact, or none if so.

Still, the media that READS four sentences from said release, in a television or radio report, need not read ANY sentence(s) regarding environmental impact in a life-boat accident. It simply demonstrates either stupidity or indoctrination.

It reminds me of seeing an anchorman say "the body was found with her pants removed, her bra around her neck, rope-marks covering her wrists, and duct-tape on her ankles. Police suspect foul play."

A cable system failure is the only thing I can think of regarding a fatality around a life boat.

Eta I’ve been on a location when a life boat cable failed. It happened right next to the smoke deck.

Some new information - 1 Shell and 1 Danos employee are the deceased. Prayers to all families involved.

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On Sunday morning, two workers on Royal Dutch Shell's Auger platform in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico were killed during a routine lifeboat launch and retrieval exercise. Another was injured and evacuated to a hospital for treatment.

One of the deceased was a Shell employee, and the other worked for Danos, an oilfield services firm. The injured individual worked for Shell. The names of those involved have not yet been released for privacy reasons.

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LINK

A little perspective of the height of the boats above the surface (left center) relative to the top of a fairly large supply boat (bottom right)

Agreed.

Regardless one would think these life safety systems would be designed with a safety factor so high that failure would be very rare.

The fiberglass boat that failed that you posted was being tested with a water bag filled to 1.1x rated capacity. But I would hope that was well within the design envelope anyway.

But things sit on a rig and corrode and degrade for a decade or two and who knows.

Bummer either way for those lost.

My son and one of the fellas that died sons played baseball together. Real good dude, just became a grandpaw about 3 months ago.

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Still, the media that READS four sentences from said release, in a television or radio report, need not read ANY sentence(s) regarding environmental impact in a life-boat accident. It simply demonstrates either stupidity or indoctrination.

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I understand where you’re coming from here, but you also have to remember that most folks (especially outside of south Louisiana) don’t have the slightest clue about the day-to-day operations of an offshore platform. I’d bet that Shell prefers that the media include that statement. Right or wrong, BP created a stigma that offshore operators will be fighting for a long time.

The more disturbing part is the sentence that followed “no environmental impacts” in Shell’s statement:

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There has been no impact to the environment and the asset is stable and producing.

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I can’t help but wonder if this was directed at their shareholders, since Auger is arguably Shell’s most important GoM asset (100% Shell-owned and still producing 25 years after commissioning).

I worked on Shell Auger from 1999-2002. First with Transocean then with H&P. Shell takes safety very seriously so I’m very surprised this happened. Shell used to give us big bonuses if nobody on the TLP got injured or if we didn’t have any spills or environmental disasters. I bet the people in New Orleans One Shell Square are freaking out big time. If one roughneck pinched his pinky finger, there was a conference about it at One Shell Square. That’s how seriously they take safety.

No joke I bet I helped rig up your equipment when I was a roustabout. My crane operator was a black dude by the nickname “daddy Rich”. If you were a Baker Hughes hand any you did wire line operations I’m certain I helped rig up your equipment.