June 1979

              Photos by R. Baird, 1979.

IXTOC-1 was drilled by the Sedco 135F to 3657 meters then lost mud circulation, pulled pipe, was shut-in and then became a well control incident on Sunday, June 3, 1979. Mr. Baird was called to Mexico and provided on-site guidance beginning Wednesday, June 6, to Pemex to position the Azteca jackup to safely drill relief well #1. The Azteca was later renamed the Noble Gene Rosser. It was built in the US in 1977. Compania Aerofoto (Ing. Pablo E. Torres Salmeron) provided the geophysical survey ship and engineers to run high resolution seismic profiles to deliniate the shallow sediments to avoid recharged shallow sands that might have influenced the safety of the jackup while drilling the relief well. Baird supervised the field operations and interpreted the results which were integrated into a well plan for subsequant operations. Base operations was Ciudad del Carmen, Mex. This work was completed before Red Adair arrived in Carmen to manage and advise the relief well planning.