NEW ORLEANS, LA - The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and U.S. Coast Guard are conducting an investigation into the fatality of a drillship worker in an area of the Gulf known as Walker Ridge 469, about 172 miles south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.
The offshore oil and gas operator, Petrobras America Inc., reported that the fatality occurred onboard the Petrobras 10,000 drillship, owned by Transocean Ltd., at about 4:45 a.m., Dec. 2, 2017. The deceased worked for Spencer Ogden Ltd. and was participating in pipe handling operations at the time of his injury. No other personnel were harmed in the incident. There was no pollution as a result of the incident.
BSEE Gulf of Mexico Region Director Lars Herbst has instituted a panel investigation and inspectors have begun conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the fatality. BSEE has also issued a safety alert regarding the incident which can be found here.
More information will be provided as it becomes available.