Investigation of Blowout, Injuries, &Fatality, Brazos Block 417

On July 13, 2001, at 0415 hours the well started to flow up the drill pipe after the floor hands had set the slips, unscrewed the kelly, and made it up to the next joint of drill pipe in the mouse hole. (The float valve had been removed from the bottomhole assembly prior to drilling out below the10¾-inch surface casing.) The rig floor safety valve was stabbed, but would not close with two men applying torque to the handle. The two men were burned on their arms and back by the hot mud. (The mud flowline temperature was approximately 150 Fahrenheit). A third man assisted in the attempt to close the valve, and sufficient torque was applied to the closing handle to shear it off at the key opening of the valve.