Hurricane Rita 2005

Summary

Evacuated before Rita hit, the Adriatic VII was broken from its legs and set adrift. It was found beached approximately 118 NM from its pre-storm location, in shallow waters off the Louisiana coast. It suffered severe damage, including the loss of its derrick, rig floor package and helideck.

After the hurricane, the derrick and other rig debris were not salvaged and were marked by the USCG as an underwater obstruction. The hull of the rig was towed back to the Port Arthur shipyard in Texas for inspection. By September 2006, GSF had decided to dispose of the damaged rig and the Adriatic VII was sold to a third party for approximately $30 million. The legs of the rig were subsequently salvaged by Smit in June 2007.

Summary

After the hurricane, an aerial survey found the Chevron Typhoon tension leg platform floating upside-down, around 80 miles from its home in Green Canyon Block 236.

In May 2006, Chevron declared that it would be donating the damaged platform to a U.S. Dept. of Interior program which uses old oil and gas platforms in the construction of artificial offshore reefs.

Summary

Like the Adriatic VII, the High Island was evacuated before Rita and was also broken off its legs before being set adrift. It sustained major damage, including the loss of its derrick was found run aground in a self-created trench in shallow waters off the Louisiana coast.

The High Island has gone on to share a similar fate as the Adriatic VII. Its derrick was not salvaged and is now an underwater obstruction. The legs of the rig were salvaged in October 2006 by Smit. The hull of the rig was towed back to Port Arthur shipyard, Texas and sat alongside Adriatic VII. By September 2006, GSF had decided to dispose of the High Island III and was evaluating whether to sell the remains or declare the rig a constructive total loss for insurance purposes.

Summary

Platform El 294 A was typical of many other small platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and was toppled by Rita's powerful winds. 65 other platforms in Rita's path shared the same fate as this platform.