Deepwater Horizon Rig Collapses in Gulf of Mexico

The Transocean-owned semisubmersible rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, has now sunk.  Environmental damage control teams are on standby to minimize the impact of any oil spill that may occur. According to CNN, pollution control teams are on their way. These teams will first begin assessing the amount of oil that could leak from the rig. Initial estimates put that amount at upto 336,000 gallons of oil. Approximately 700,000 gallons of diesel fuel is also likely to leak from the rig. The rig Deepwater Horizon burned for more than a day after it exploded in flames. Investigations into the oil rig explosion have begun. Speculation has been mounting about the causes for the Transocean oil rig explosion, including problems with the drilling mud which would have allowed oil and gas to leak through the well work. Supply vessels had doused the rig from all directions, trying to extinguish the flames enough to keep the rig afloat. However, these attempts were not successful and the rig sank today. Efforts to locate the 11 missing offshore workers, who have not been accounted for, still continue. However, with every passing hour, the chances of being found alive and well, decline further. Families of these workers are being prepared for bad news. Not surprisingly, not many of them are willing to give up. Maritime lawyer Brian Beckom is a Board-Certified Trial Lawyer, whose primary focus  is the representation of injured drillers, roustabouts, roughnecks, and other offshore and oil rig workers in offshore accidents in Texas, Louisiana, along the Gulf Coast, across the country and in international waters.