Page 133 - test2

2. Mechanical Sources

For mechanical sparks resulting from friction to have occurred, there must
be movement of equipment. At the time of the blowout no rig floor operations
were being conducted outside of the investigation into the drill pipe pressure
differential. The Panel found no evidence that the mechanical equipment on
the rig floor was a cause of the ignition.

3. Other Non‐Hazardous Area Sources

If the flammable gas cloud dispersed beyond the hazardous areas on the
rig to other deck locations with unclassified equipment, then those ignition
sources could have sparked an explosion. Any unclassified equipment, such as
an electrical outlet, would not result in ignition unless a spark was available.
Additionally, the electrical equipment located on the weather deck (top deck) is
typically sealed against the exposure of the offshore environment. The Panel
found no evidenced that non‐hazardous area sources were the cause of the
explosion.

4. Electrostatic Discharge

Electrostatic charge or static electricity occurs in many industrial
operations. Static discharges are responsible for many industrial fires and
explosions caused by static electricity. Hydrocarbon gases are extremely
vulnerable to static discharge ignitions that may often be undetectable by human
sight or hearing. There Panel found no evidence of electrostatic discharge, but
it cannot be ruled out as a possible source of ignition in the explosion.

128