Did High Winds Cause the Robinson Drilling Rig Accident?
By: Stephanie Sobic
Updated: June 15, 2010
Monday night we received information that an oil rig accident was the result of high winds. Today, we're learning that might not be the case.
Exactly what caused the Robinson Drilling accident in Martin County is under investigation. OSHA was on the site this afternoon. Meanwhile Big 2 News got in touch with a man who was at the site; he asked we not use his real name so we'll call him Joe. And, Joe says something else is to blame, not the wind.
"I've never seen wind ever blow a derrick over," says Joe.
While on the site, Joe was told, the crew was drilling and got stuck so they shock dropped the pipe several times.
"You shock drop it by raising the brake on the rig and drop the pipe and let it go as fast as it can go and slam down on the brake and catch the pipe and it will rattle the hole," explains Joe.
This is done to break loose whatever is blocking the hole. However, Joe thinks the crew might have shock dropped the pipe too many times.
"It's an older rig and it couldn't take the stress…you know I was told by reliable sources out there that work on the rig that this is what happened," says Joe.
Two people were taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life threaten injuries.
"Very lucky, it could have killed several people," comments Joe.
Big 2 contacted Robinson Drilling and asked them about the accident; they told us ‘[they] have no information to report’.
This is the second oilfield accident this year involving a Robinson rig. The first was in April. That one turned out to be fatal. We talked with OSHA today and they told us the April accident, as well as this one are still under investigation.
