Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. announced that theOcean Baroness', marine riser parted during operations offshore Malaysia on April 22, 2002, in 5,700 ft water depth. The well was secured without incident or injury and was successfully plugged.
Diamond Offshore reports the semisubmersible rig is intact. An underwater video revealed failed bolt assemblies at a riser connection, which apparently caused the riser to separate. The riser is parted approximately 2,300 feet below the surface of the water and is supported both by the rig's riser tensioning system and drill pipe, which extends from the rig floor, past the separation, and through the well head. Damage to the blowout preventer is not evident; however, a detailed inspection will take place following recovery operations.
The company is consulting with the riser manufacturer, its customer, and a number of contractors in order to develop a recovery and repair plan. Although the duration of recovery and remediation efforts cannot be determined at present, Diamond Offshore believes successful recovery and repair of the subsea equipment will get underway soon.
The Ocean Baroness began work on a 120-day contract on March 17, 2002, and operated without incident prior to experiencing riser failure. The rig recently underwent a significant upgrade at a Singapore yard.
