The One-hundred-and-first First

As I was compiling that list of 100 "firsts" a new first was occurring simultaneously. This new experience for me came to its stunning conclusion early yesterday morning when our drilling assembly was officially declared "Lost in Hole".

That means that there is 1.5 million dollars worth of equipment sitting at the bottom of a 9000 foot hole, and we can't get it out.

A number of days ago we were in the process of pulling the drilling assembly part-way out of the hole so we could circulate the mud and clean the hole when all of a sudden the whole rig shook (and jolted me awake from a mid-day nap I was taking in my chair). The next thing they noticed was that the weight hanging from the derrick was 100,000 pounds less than it was supposed to be. Yes, ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS LESS. What happened to that extra 100,000 pounds? Well, it twisted off and fell down to the very bottom.

The next six days were a relaxing time for me. The tools that I am in charge of are literally screwed into the drill bit, so they would be the very last items to reach surface. The rest of the rig was in a flurry of activity, however, as they tried fishing out the tools again and again with various fishing assemblies.

The very last thing they tried was a "freepointer gun" which was lowered down via wireline. It used blasting charges to cut the drilling assembly in half, and then we were able to successfully fish the top half out. They were hopeful that they could then fish the bottom half out, being lighter for the lack of 2000 feet of drillpipe, but after six days at the bottom of the hole the drill bit may as well have grown roots; it was not to be budged.

1.3 of those 1.5 million dollars is the high-tech equipment that my company is now short. I'm currently working with my manager on the bill for the client, and it's going to be a doozy.