Offshore Blowouts
| Five Worst Blowouts | Volume Released | |
|---|---|---|
 |
1. Sedco 135F and the IXTOC-1 Well In 1979, the IXTOC-1 blowout flowed uncontrollably in the Bahia de Campeche, Mexico until it was capped 9 months later. |
3,500,000 barrels |
 |
2. Ekofisk Bravo Platform Phillips Petroleum's Ekofisk B platform experienced an 8-day oil and gas blowout in 1977 during a production well workover. |
202,381 barrels |
| 3. Funiwa No. 5 Well Oil from the 1980 Funiwa 5 blowout polluted the Niger Delta for 2 weeks, followed by fire and the eventual bridging of the well. |
200,000 barrels | |
 |
4. Hasbah Platform Well 6 Drilled in 1980 by the Ron Tappmeyer jack-up, exploratory well No. 6 blew out in the Persian Gulf for 8 days and cost the lives of 19 men. |
100,000 barrels |
 |
5. Union Oil Platform Alpha Well A-21 The 1969 Union Oil Platform A blowout lasted 11 days but continued leaking oil into the Santa Barbara Channel for months afterwards. |
80,000 barrels |
x
| Other Notable Blowouts | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Adriatic IV A blowout and fire in 2004 destroyed both the Adriatic IV jack-up and Temsah gas platform off the Egyptian coast. |
|
 |
Al Baz Santa Fe's Al Baz jack-up burned and sank after a blowout in 1989 with the loss of 5 lives. |
5 fatalities |
 |
Arabdrill 19 A leg punch-through in 2002 led to a blowout and fire which sank both the Arabdrill 19 and a production platform in Saudi's Khafji Field. |
3 fatalities |
 |
Blake IV and Greenhill Petroleum Corp. Well 250 In 1992, Greenhill Petroleum's workover oil well blew out in Timbalier Bay, igniting after 2 days and taking 11 days to cap. |
Major release |
| C.P. Baker Drilling Barge Built in 1962 using an uncommon catamaran design, the C. P. Baker drilling barge burned and sank after a shallow gas blowout. |
22 fatalities | |
 |
Enchova Central Petrobras' Enchova Platform suffered twice with blowouts and fire in both 1984 and 1988, ending with the loss of the platform in 1988. |
42 fatalities |
 |
Ensco 51 A blowout and fire in 2001 in the Gulf of Mexico caused the collapse of the Ensco 51's derrick, resulting in extensive platform damage. |
|
 |
Ocean Odyssey This 1988 North Sea blowout occurred whilst drilling an HPHT well on the Ocean Odyssey, resulting in the death of the radio operator. |
1 fatality |
 |
Petromar V Drillship The Petormar V drillship sank in 1981 after a shallow gas blowout in the South China Sea. |
|
 |
Sea Quest Whilst working off Nigeria, the Sea Quest suffered extensive fire damage after a blowout in 1980 and was then deliberately sunk. |
|
 |
West Vanguard Another shallow gas blowout, the West Vanguard suffered explosion and fire in 1985 off Norway, with the loss of 1 life. |
1 fatality |
Sources:
Office of Response and Restoration, NOAA: Worst Spills Case Histories 
Office of Response and Restoration, NOAA: Oil Spills in History
