Gulf rig partially collapses in fire off Louisiana: U.S. government
Date: 25-Jul-13
Country: USA
Author: Kristen Hays
A cloud of natural gas rises from the Hercules 265 drilling rig
located 55 miles (89 km) off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of
Mexico as seen in this handout photo from the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) taken July 23, 2013.
Photo: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
A shallow-water Gulf of Mexico drilling rig on fire because of a ruptured natural gas well has partially collapsed, U.S. regulators said on Wednesday.
The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said beams supporting the derrick and rig floor on the Hercules Offshore rig collapsed over the structure.
BSEE also said a third firefighting vessel was enroute to the scene, though no sheen was seen on the water's surface during overflights conducted on Wednesday morning.
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