Report: Rig on fire in Gulf of Mexico

A semi-submersible drilling rig reportedly caught fire in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on Friday, February 13, 2015.

According to gCaptain, which was first to report the news, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed the incident had happened on an offshore rig when a fire broke out in the engine room.

gCaptain claims that the rig in question is the ENSCO 8502 semi-submersible drilling rig, owned by the UK-based drilling contractor, Ensco.

Ensco did not reply to an e-mail seeking confirmation, sent by Offshore Energy Today. Also, Offshore Energy Today is awaiting a response from the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

No injuries have been reported to the crew and there will be no evacuation, gCaptain further reported, citing a source in the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Ensco 8502 was delivered to its owner in January 2010. The rig, currently on hire by Tanos Energy in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, offshore Louisiana, was built by Keppel in Singapore.

Offshore Energy Today Staff