Had a $3,000 day go totally sideways in the Gulf last Tuesday

I was doing a simple pipeline inspection off Freeport, Texas, and the vis was maybe 2 feet tops. Got tangled in some abandoned rope and my knife was on the wrong side of my harness, took me 15 minutes to wiggle free. By the time I surfaced the client was already yelling about losing half a day to what he called 'rookie nonsense.' Anyone else ever have a routine job turn into a nightmare because of one small thing you overlooked?

2 comments

2 Comments

wright.rowan10d ago

...and that's exactly why I stopped taking jobs from that company. The thing is, 2 foot vis isn't that unusual in the Gulf after a storm kicks everything up. But the real issue was the knife on the wrong side. I did a job once off Louisiana where I had to cut a line wrapped around my leg and my knife was on my left hip, I'm right handed, and I nearly panicked trying to get it with my off hand. Switched to a neck knife after that, never looked back. The client yelling at you while you're still shaking off the adrenaline is the worst part though, makes you want to just surface and tell them to suit up themselves.

ruby49410d ago

Vis was maybe 2 feet tops" and they sent you down for a pipeline inspection? That's insane, I can't believe they let you dive in that.