In a late report Thursday the Minerals Management Service (MMS) said it had received information about a number of missing rigs or rigs spotted floating off their moorings, set adrift by Hurricane Ivan which had raged through the Gulf of Mexico overnight and stormed into Alabama as a category 3 hurricane.

The following is the MMS report:

“The Ocean America working for Mariner in Viosca Knoll 917 is adrift and drifting toward the Marlin Tension Leg Platform located in VK 915. Twelve Diamond personnel are onboard and trying to get power restored and the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit underway under its on power. Three Schouest vessels are in transit to the location.

“Noble Energy has reported that they could not locate Main Pass 305 A and C and Main Pass 293 A during a fixed wing over flight. They did locate Main Pass 305 B.

“Earlier [Thursday], Shell reported the semi submersible drilling rig, Transocean Nautilus, missing. It had been drilling in Lloyd Ridge 399 on their Cheyenne prospect in 8,951 feet of water in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. It has been located 73 miles NE of its original location intact and in about 1,500 feet of water. A large Schouest anchor-handling vessel is in transit to the facility to keep an eye on it during the night. They will board at first light.

“Shell also reported that they discovered two additional rigs adrift while searching for the Nautilus. One is the Noble semi-submersible Jim Thompson working for Shell on the Kepler prospect in Mississippi Canyon 383. The rig is at about a 3 degree list. The other was the Ensco jack-up Ensco 64 working for Exxon/Mobil in South Pelto 93. Shell reported no facilities were within visual sight of the rigs.

“[Thursday] morning the drilling rig Ocean Star, working for Kerr McGee was drifting SE at about one knot. Shell, BP, and Total who all have facilities in the vicinity were contacted and it did not appear that the rig had struck anything. Two large tugs were in route to the rig [Thursday] morning. The Coast Guard flew over with a fixed-wing aircraft. A helicopter with personnel to board the rig was sent from Fourchon when weather conditions subsided.”

The MMS said the floating rigs are a hazard to other facilities in the Gulf, noting the most dangerous situation occurred during Andrew when a semi-submersible broke loose dragging anchors for some 50 miles.

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