It was the summer of 2017, and I was working on the Thunder Horse PDQ platform in the Gulf of Mexico. It was one of those sweltering days where the heat seemed to press down on you, making the routine tasks feel even more exhausting.
Around mid-afternoon, just as we were finishing a maintenance check on some of the drilling equipment, we heard the unmistakable sound of an alarm. At first, we thought it might be a drill, but the urgency in the supervisors' voices over the intercom told us otherwise. A fire had broken out in one of the engine rooms.
Panic spread quickly, but we had been trained for this. Everyone knew their role in an emergency. We grabbed our gear and rushed to the designated stations. The fire suppression system had already kicked in, but the flames were fierce and spreading fast. I was part of the fire response team, and our job was to get as close to the blaze as possible and try to contain it until the professional firefighters arrived. The heat was intense, and the smoke made it hard to see, but we pressed on, following our training to the letter.
Communication was critical. We had to relay information about the fire's location and intensity back to the command center. Every second counted. Meanwhile, other teams were evacuating non-essential personnel and making sure everyone was accounted for.After what felt like an eternity but was probably only about 20 minutes, we managed to bring the fire under control. The professional firefighters arrived shortly after and took over, ensuring the flames were completely extinguished and the area was safe.
In the aftermath, we learned that an electrical fault had caused the fire. The damage was significant, but thanks to the quick response and the rigorous training, no one was seriously injured. It was a stark reminder of the dangers we faced daily and the importance of being prepared for anything.
The experience bonded us even more as a crew. We spent the next few days reviewing the incident, learning from it, and improving our safety protocols. It was a tough situation, but it reinforced the importance of teamwork and preparedness on the rig.