The Prospector 5 drilling rig, owned by Borr Drilling, sank on Saturday night near the coast of Gabon. This incident occurred due to a phenomenon known as "punch-through," which caused the drilling rig to lose stability and sink.
Details of the Incident
According to available information, the Prospector 5 rig was in the process of pre-loading its drilling legs when it suddenly experienced punch-through. This phenomenon typically occurs when the bottom of a leg suddenly penetrates into sediments, causing the drilling rig to tilt to one side. The incident was serious enough to result in the loss of stability of the drilling rig and its sinking.
Human Impact and Rescue Efforts
In this incident, 110 people were successfully rescued, but unfortunately, one person lost their life and four others are still missing. E&P BW, the owner of the license for the area where the incident occurred, has confirmed that the incident location is in the Dussafu license area.
Borr Drilling's CEO, Bruno Mora, stated in a statement: "We are deeply concerned about the individuals who are still unaccounted for, as well as all those affected by this incident. Our primary focus right now is to support the search and rescue efforts and the well-being of all personnel involved."
Punch-through is one of the serious hazards in drilling operations that can occur suddenly, and in severe cases, it can lead to a leg falling several feet into mud. According to information released by the Pisys training institute, the greatest risks occur when a harder layer is placed over softer sediments or when the silt composition is uneven, which can give the operator the impression that the seabed has more holding power than it actually does.
