Interviewed by the Associated Press About Transocean Rig Explosion

I just finished an interview with the Associated Press about the tragic Transocean rig explosion that has left eleven workers missing and many more injured.  There have been a lot of questions regarding the safety of offshore drilling and Transocean’s safety record.

It was just this last Wednesday, when Transocean reported that a fire broke out Tuesday night onboard the Deepwater Horizon, one of its semisubmersible drilling rigs.  At the time of this devastating oil rig accident, the rig had been drilling a discovery well for BP in the Mississippi Canyon area of the Gulf of Mexico.  An executive with Transocean stated that the company believes a blowout may have caused this catastrophic explosion that is thought to be one of the worst in recent decades.

While this incident is one of the worst in years, it is not the first time that there have been problems on Transocean rigs.  In 2008 and 2009, there were 19 fires reported, four of which led to serious injuries.  As a result, numerous cases have been brought against Transocean in the last few years.  I have represented many Transocean employees, including a man who on a Transocean rig that burst into flames, just six years ago.

I will continue to follow this tragic story closely and have even called for an independent investigation into Transocean's safety record by an outside panel.