Document 7M7boRpozwYvpJEjEnx9o8go8

FILE NAME: Drilling Specialties (DRSP) DATE: 1972 Aug 31 DOC#: DRSP011 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Memo RE Observations of Mud Systems at Drilling Operations PLAINTiFl'-S EXHIBIT DMA-1696 t - August 31, 1972 INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE / SUBJECT! Observation of Mud Systems BABTuesvu.i.E. O K L A H O M A at Drilling Operations M7r4.3 FSPhBofn"er Smith J/S ASB 000 70 1 On Tuesday and Wednesday, August 29 and 30, 1972, H. M. Barrett, G. I. Slater L. L. Kidd and I visited numerous drilling operations in Southwestern and ' Western Oklahoma. Bill Barrett planned the trip and Glen Slater who is well acquainted with the location of rig operations conducted the" tour, Glen was the contact at each location. In many instances he was personally acquainted with the tool pusher, driller on tour or the mud engineer. Though approximately 20 rigs were visited, only one was running over a Phillips hole so it was necessary for Glen to obtain local clearance for us. Even though several ides visited were drilling tight holes, in every instance we were granted permission t o look the operation over. The purpose of the- trip was to observe mud fanJi-ing techniques in general and specifically how those operations using Flosal were handling the material. It was also our -objective to determine if the handling of Flosal was hazardous. < 5 We observed in considerable detail mud systems in use on shallow holes and deep holes by small rigs and large rigs, by poor boy contractors and by the more sophisticated.contractors. There was little difference in the mud houses at all operations. In each instance, housekeeping was poor, 3h some cases, it was very bad. However, this does not imply it was hazardous. Probably a compliance officer would object to the housekeeping, however, it is doubtful that there were any health hazards. Most of us who have been apprehensive about Flosal probably based our concern due to prior experiences in m u d houses where sack mud was being opened and added .hurriedly and in large amounts b y one or several roughnecks. Under those conditions, the roughnecks were covered with mud dust, the floor was covered with several inches of mud and cluttered with empty sacks and the atmosphere was so dusty it was diffi cult to see and breathe. Bulk muds have eliminated much of the handling of sack muds by roughnecks. Muds and mud additives injected at hoppers by roughnecks usually isn't a large volume operation and with a little more emphasis on house keeping could be very clean. At most of the rigs observed, a 55-gallon drum with an eductor type hook-up is used instead of the conventional hopper. This permits placing the sack material down inside the drum when dumping. The drum will hold several sacks of mud or additive so the material is well confined. Mud materials are not spilled and walked through around the drum. The eductor pulls the materials slowly into the system without any dust or residue. On one occasion Flosal was being added. The roughneck opened.and poured a sack of Bentonite into the drum, then opened the sack of Flosal and poured it into the drum, then added a sack of Bentonite on t o p of the Flosal. No visible dust could be seen during this process. C e r t a i n l y t h e Flosal was well isolated by the Bentonite. - / J COD Z S 5 1 2 8 D SC 1539S Mr. Shofner Smith ASB 000705 Agust 31, 1972 ----where Flos*! v - tta rough L ,, th"* is *"-^ c pri.Sd 'S" TM` M *HUr , TM m made no contact with the Flosal t + ** handling asbestos is not tflB faclc was visible above the d ^ f g ^ f f / TM ! . 01' his hands or clothi5 ^ are thrown into an earthfill 11 w all refnse X S 5 ? 8 ^ he no dust when hole is completed. h h ^ be Covered with earth b^f At some rigs the conventional i , TM . not h o L ' L ^ ^ h ^ e r S ^ r i e ^ r F 1" ^ ^ hopper - can be <.used wwithoutmatking=aiam,,e L,ls s i^ r^ s r -- a ^ttleiare "L CPT s" ^sr '^ ' ^ u X S X S Z J t J f r s i 5 s S g ^ - * eM ? S " poor housekeeping in tho m a u ^ ^ 3 We ^ s i t e d would find so ='* U bJr a compliance -*. no 5 2 S . K S h" r 0r r d l? ^TMe guard rails. Only one bad t k l S S ^ f ? at Was onV token. M b s t ^ f S rlgs some serious uhSnW , oiiet facilities. We det.nnfart oF them needed Drilling Company h a s ^ ^ r s / l i W rSB than the problem We w e r th?:** condtionS;, million d o l l ^ r i g ! ^ E v E S r i g W o r k " E on a ^ e p hole ,**** S S U T iS t"1^ 1 eW=. " 5^ w . t l i S s " a shovel to mix S s J f a E l t ^ E *8 *** babt-ed; Attache! oil ^ 0 r flrst aid equipment in the are! ' 1`lthoot A g e n c y shower \srvE ouisekeepics*md - a E t |eSp S E ed'w Pr0bahl7 ib d * a SodUS a% UttJe Bffort contaminants, < ^ tfSEt b r E i S ^ the derrickmen should hs.v= tu ^ the dernckman looks after bifathing in their own locker An a* heif 0Wn resPirator which thev crmiE* A11 three of digi;*bi* S r r ? * s k a t t one we have seen is'tha respirator costs $1 50 ? tE ? kfep clean a n d - is--^pSW^s5tS2aa^5y ,,fs ^ r s . iscsss*iTM " prove KLosal is actual!C ~ ? ?r' unless the atmosphere i- 7 351 improvement If Flosal is contaminating a n y person handling F l o S l self. However t h f / pf thI M u reason for accomplishing t b ^ o 5 d c E , f ? ? 7 rej dt cTM n t be detected vl ^ proVeBent- ^ d' Wlth i w t a little effort r. dJ 5Ually* Further, ss=i DsC 15397 CDD 2SS129 Mr. Shofner Smith 3 - 000706 August 31, 1972 s=ss need to be answered, they are: U i i oM M ti,, s ' 6re are sraae questions that d o em eo b 1 . Even though little or no dust is visible vh,,n vi . used, we need to whether or S t a i r b o r n ^ S ^ 3 beinS excess of exposure limits exist. airborne fibers m 2. 5 T M s ;25 2 K ? f ** similar material containing a sb esS f" shhn ^ p la ster' or bags, cartons, or other containers in S h thl-T i* of without being wetted, or enclosed o" v e l a d sblP P eti> prevent effectively the release U b m excess of the i i m t . ...........n ^ SS orne asbes asbesto 3 t o^^ fibers Wiat is our Company responsibility when Floral by a contractor working for us? 0sal v being used. HWB:ee 1 cc: H. H. Barrett 3. X. Slater E. L. Kidd Harold W. Brown 736 FPB ' Station 5415 D SC 15398