Supply Ship Collides with Transocean Drill Rig off Newfoundland

A Transocean offshore drilling rig working under Husky Energy off Newfoundland’s coast in Canada was damaged late last week after a supply vessel collided into it, according to Bloomberg reports.

The collision occurred at Husky Energy’s White Rose oilfield, and thus far has not been deemed a threat to the environment.  Officials from the White Rose field told Reuters that the Maersk Detector supply ship collided with a column on the drill ship, GSF Grand Banks, leaving both vessels damaged above the water line.  Husky said that no people were injured in the collision, and the stability of the drill ship was not compromised. 

PHOTO: Transocean's Grand Banks drill ship

The Grand Banks drill ship was working on a water-injection well at the time of the accident.  Colleen McConnell, a spokesperson for Husky, said that the well had been cased and cemented before the incident and no oil has been released into the environment. 

The White Rose oilfield is in the works of an expansion project, and officials are not sure if the incident last Thursday will have an effect on the development plans. 

McConnell added that operations on the Grand Banks rig have been suspended, and will be brought to land to undergo repairs.