Hydrocarbon release from a wellhead swab valve

Cause & Consequence

• Uncontrolled release of a flammable gas or liquid

Incident Location

Fixed Installation

Incident Activity

Production operations

Specific Incident Equipment

Wellhead swab valve

Lessons Identified

• Spare equipment/ parts/ components held within asset Toolboxes for use during maintenance tasks were not properly labelled and identified to avoid wrong selection of gaskets
• The specific work pack mobilised for the PMR and repair of the Swab valve did not include any replacement bonnet gasket
• Breakdown in communication led to no formal intervention for flowing the well with a known weep. Deviation was not issued ordering the well to be shut-in and weep repaired
• Lack of awareness of risks associated with inserting the incorrect bonnet gasket
• Weeps and seeps procedure not robust enough to have directed the site to shut in the well

Incident Recommendations

Ensure that all spare gaskets are labelled and easily identifiable to avoid wrong selection of gaskets

Ensure any weeps and seeps procedure is robust enough to guarantee that personnel with the necessary expertise are involved in the decision to manage any weep/seep via the procedure or to isolate and repair immediately