Automated Well Ignition Increases Safety for Well Blowouts

Automated Well Ignition Increases Safety for Well Blowouts

OCTOBER 1, 2014

United Safety

As demand and footprint of the oil and gas industry increases, the distance between facilities and populated areas diminishes. Companies also have to move into critical fields (high pressure and high hydrogen sulfide concentration). This means that special hydrogen sulfide protection measures need to be in place not only to ensure the safety of onsite workers but also to protect nearby communities.

The United Safety VulQan is a unique product designed to perform well blowout ignition.

The presence of hydrogen sulfide creates unique challenges for oil and gas operators, including the specialized drilling systems required and the health problems caused when hydrogen sulfide is released into the atmosphere.

A multitude of mechanical and procedural measures are in place to prevent any release. The standard hydrogen sulfide safety systems on the work site consist of detection measures to give early warning of hydrogen sulfide presence and breathing air equipment that the workers can put on for escape or to work safely in the presence of the gas.

“There is a long history of learning and progress with these onsite systems, and, overall, they are very effective when operated and maintained properly,” said Mike Gilbert, vice president, Middle East, for United Safety.

However, despite safety measures in place, accidents may happen. A blowout, for instance, occurs when the crew loses control of the well because of complications during drilling, allowing a free flow of gas or oil from the wellbore into the atmosphere. A large volume of hydrogen sulfide toxic gas can be released hundreds of feet in the air in a very short time. This gas cloud, or plume, is carried by the wind and will settle on lower grounds (hydrogen sulfide is heavier than air), creating very immediate health hazards or even death for anyone in its path. For example, a hydrogen sulfide blowout in chuandongbei gas field   in central China in 2003 resulted in an area of more than 25 km² being covered with high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, killing 243 people, seriously injuring 9,000, and displacing more than 64,000 from their homes.

To avoid the consequences of a blowout, a combination of gas detection, safe evacuation, and well ignition (when necessary) is the best solution. Elie Daher, executive vice president for United Safety, explains “not one single safety measure can be ultimately effective in addressing hydrogen sulfide protection. There needs to be comprehensive planning and continuity in the measures taken from start to finish of these challenging projects.”

Depending on the magnitude of the blowout, the well may need to be ignited. When the hydrogen sulfide gas is burned, the byproduct, sulfur dioxide, is carried higher into the atmosphere by the heat and, therefore, disperses more readily, resulting in lower ground concentrations.

Therefore, a safe well-ignition solution needs to be part of any comprehensive critical well safety management system. Traditionally, this is done by a trained individual using a flare pistol from an estimated safe distance.

“As you can imagine, a blowout is an extremely dangerous, messy, and violent event. We’ve responded to many of them in our time. To put a human being in harm’s way to ignite these blowouts is becoming a thing of the past and is unnecessary with today’s modern technology” Gilbert said.

In order to ignite the well safely, companies can rely on automated well ignition system. In the event of a blowout, once the work site is evacuated, the designated person will activate the well ignition from a control unit, placed in a safe area. Once activated, there is a variable delay before the system discharges into the gas cloud, allowing time for personnel to retreat to a safe distance. The system will continue to discharge flaming gel at preset intervals to ensure continued and complete ignition of the well.

“There is no question, safely igniting the well release as soon as possible is the fastest and most effective way to reduce immediate danger to the communities and workers” Daher said.