Under Pressure:  The Alligator, the Compressor, and the Challenges of Field Service Management

A few weeks back, we posted a picture on our LinkedIn page, and a lot of people had some strong reactions:

It was not your ordinary sight when going to check on a compression unit, but it made for an interesting photo, and an even more fascinating story. So, we thought we’d tell a little bit about the story behind this “helper” in the field.

The Backstory:

Several years ago in South Texas, an oil and gas company technician arrived to perform regular maintenance when he encountered the reptilian critter, measuring a little over 8’ long. The story, as it seems, is that the gator got stuck while trying to warm itself around the piping and scrubbers.

Why the Gator Was There – Compressed Gas gets Hot!

As natural gas is compressed, it will heat up, for cold-blooded animals, like our gator here, the warm piping helps to regulate their body temperature during cold seasons, and while this isn’t a “normal” way most animals would regulate body temperature, this big guy was thinking outside the box.

Unfortunately, he didn’t think about the possibility of getting stuck, which put him in an awkward situation. The story goes that he got stuck behind a pipe and couldn’t wriggle his way out of his own ingenious plan to warm up.

A Safety Moment: What to do in this Situation

Since the gator wasn’t there to check on the sensors, nor was he on the payroll, it was safe to say that he (or she) wasn’t so thrilled about being stuck. Beyond that, the number of teeth outnumbered the technician’s willingness to take any risks. Safety in the oilfield is vitally important, and if proper protocols aren’t followed, then people can get injured or face serious danger if they don’t follow the procedure. Now, this was probably not covered in the safety training, but as the story goes, the technician called the local game warden to monitor the situation as they went to remove the pipe that that was holding the gator inside the unit.

Keeping distance and moving quickly away once finished, the gator was able to get out of the compression unit and, after a little bit of resting, the local wildlife department was able to get the big fella to a refuge and all was resolved.

Safety is the number one priority for anyone working in the field, and whether you are encountering a faulty unit, a regular inspection, or an 8-foot reptilian “squatter” – take the proper action to ensure you and your team are acting in a manner that ensures health and safety.

Stranger Things: Crazy moments in the Field

While this could be one of the more unique encounters we’ve seen in the field, there has to be more like this. We’d love to hear about your crazy field stories. If you’ve encountered something in the field that meets or exceeds this one, send your story (and any pictures) to us here: Crazy Stuff in the Field