Update 5 (29 July 2013)
On 27 July, BSEE approved a permit application by Walter Oil and Gas to drill the relief well which will permanently kill the well that blew out last week, destroying a fixed gas platform and seriously damaging the Hercules 265 drilling rig. Rowan Drilling’s EXL-3 jack-up rig has been contracted by Walter and is on location at South Timbalier 220. Crews are preparing the rig to drill the relief well which will intercept the blown-out well and secure it with cement and heavy mud.
Update 4 (1032 EST 25 July 2013)
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is currently returning from their tour of the incident scene and our source indicates that the fire from the well is out and a clean-up plan is in progress. This would indicate that the well has caved in and sealed itself downhole, effectively removing the fuel source from the blaze.
We have reached out to BSEE and Walter Oil and Gas, but are still waiting for official comments.
Update 3 (0800 EST 25 July 2013):
We just got word from our source that the well bridged over last night. BSEE is currently on their way to the scene to confirm.
Update 2 (2200 EST 24 July 2013):
A Seacor-owned OSV is currently attempting to cool the rig, however it’s only able to come to about 100 yards of the rig. According to a gCaptain source it is doing little more than misting the charred jack-up rig. Well intervention experts are unlikely to have much success in killing this well, considering the incredible heat from the blaze.
Images via Anonymous gCaptain contributor:
Our source did note that the hydrocarbons appeared to have a bit more water and steam mixed into the plume of fire this afternoon, which could indicate that the well may be in the process of bridging off, or killing itself on its own.
Hercules 265 blowout fire, Photo: U.S. Coast GuardPhoto taken from approx. 6 miles away, July 24, 2013. Photo (c) ElCapitan/gCaptain
As the above image shows, the derrick on board the jack-up and the well platform have largely disintegrated, but the rig itself still appears somewhat structurally sound.
As of this afternoon, our source notes that the wellhead is starting to burn lower than it was burning earlier today, which would indicate significant deterioration or disintegration of the top of the wellhead.
Minimal sheen is currently visible in the immediate vicinity.
In a statement earlier today by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Walter Oil & Gas has begun preparations to drill a relief well to quell the blaze. Hercules notes that should a relief well be necessary, they are prepared to “promptly mobilize the Hercules 200, a 200′ mat-supported cantilevered unit to execute drilling of the relief well.”
Earlier update:
BSEE has confirmed this morning that the Hercules 265 jack-up rig has caught fire following a loss of well control on board the rig yesterday.
According to a BSEE statement, the natural gas leaking from the well ignited at 10:50 p.m. CDT July 23, 2013. No one was on board at the time of the ignition.
The Max Cheramie offshore supply vessel picked up the personnel from the Hercules 265’s lifeboats. These lifeboats were then tied together and the Callie jean towed them into the dock, the K-Line Danos and John G McCall were also on scene. Image via anonymous gCaptain contributor
This likely leaves very few options now to regain control of the fire considering that the primary means of controlling the flow of the fuel source, which is the blowout preventer (BOP), has likely failed.
Unlike the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout, the BOP on the Hercules rig is above the water and surrounded by an uncontrolled fire. Access to it will no doubt be impossible.
The following is video of the gas escaping from the well taken yesterday:
The operator of the field, Walter Oil and Gas can only hope that the uncontrolled flow of gas from the well causes the well to bridge off, aka collapse downhole, and seal itself off in that way, but it may take some time.
The rig is on contract with Walter Oil & Gas Corporation and operating at South Timbalier Block 220 in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, located about 55 miles offshore Louisiana in 154 feet of water.
In the 2012 fire involving the jack-up rig KS Endeavor offshore Nigeria, the fire burned for about two months, and there was literally nothing left of the rig by the time the well stopped flowing. In the meantime however, another jack-up rig was contracted to drill a well to intercept the one that was flowing in order to stem the flow of the well from its source.
This was a very expensive task for both Chevron Nigeria, and indirectly ExxonMobil, who had to disengage their rig from a current project to help quell this incident.
Sellers of Iranian oil to China are offering deeper discounts this month as they look to reduce inventories and as independent refiners slow their buying due to a jump in crude prices, traders and analysts said.
Britain has issued tougher new environmental rules for fossil fuel projects with implications for the development of two vast North Sea oil and gas fields by Shell and Equinor.
The firm building what will become the largest port in India plans to raise as much as 300 billion rupees ($3.5 billion) of debt, giving lenders an opportunity to invest in one of the cornerstones of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s infrastructure overhaul.
June 19, 2025
Total Views: 670
Get The Industry’s Go-To News
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
— just like 109,305 professionals
Secure Your Spot
on the gCaptain Crew
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
— trusted by our 109,305 members
Your Gateway to the Maritime World!
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.