Boots & Coots, Inc.; 1995. Amoco, Peters Estate #6, Muy Grande Field, Duval County, Texas.
The blowout occurred when rams did not close properly around a tool joint and the Hydrill failed. The kelly was cut at the top of the kelly bushing by "sawing" it in two with a swab line and two swabbing units. The rig was then skidded back with a single dozer, the biggest block and tackle system you can imagine and a dead man buried 30 feet in the ground. The old BOP stack was unbolted and picked off the B-section with a crane. At lift-off the ring gasket spun out in the flow and got launched into orbit, never to be seen again. I was just lucky to have caught it in this photograph.
A capping stack was then picked up with the same crane and snubbed down to well head, bolted up and the well put on diverter.
