The operator of a Gulf of Mexico production platform that was the site of an explosion on November 16, which killed at least one crew member, had a history of safety violations, the top US offshore drilling regulator said Wednesday.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said Black Elk Energy Offshore Operators was cited for more than 300 safety violations since 2010 and was fined $307,000 in 2010 for not inspecting a leaky safety valve.
BSEE on Wednesday ordered Black Elk to immediately improve its safety performance in the Outer Continental Shelf or face severe penalties, including possible revocation of its status as an offshore operator.
"Black Elk has repeatedly failed to operate in a manner that is consistent with federal regulations," BSEE Director James Watson said in a statement. "BSEE has taken a number of enforcement actions, including issuing numerous Incidents of Non Compliance (INCs), levying civil penalties and calling in the company's senior leadership to review their performance and the ramifications of failing to improve. This is an appropriate and necessary step as we continue to investigate the explosion and fire that resulted in the tragic loss of life and injuries last week."
The notification of unacceptable performance comes after the November 16 explosion and fire at the company's shut-in production platform offshore Louisiana at West Delta Block 32. One crewmember's body has been recovered and the company and US Coast Guard have suspended a search for the body of a second worker presumed to have been killed.
The BSEE notice orders Black Elk to cease all burning, welding or other forms of hot work that could ignite a fire at the 98 production platforms where it is listed as an operator.
"We appreciate the perspective of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement," spokesman Leslie Hoffman said Wednesday. "Safety is a high priority for Black Elk Energy and we will continue to work cooperatively with local and national federal agencies to understand exactly what happened with the incident at our platform in the Gulf of Mexico."
