«الصدأ» يطيح بحفار ضخم في خليج السويس

Initial investigations attributed the collapse of one of the massive offshore drilling rigs in the waters of the Gulf of Suez in the Red Sea Governorate to the corrosion of its supporting columns due to rust resulting from its age and prolonged exposure to weather conditions.

The Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum revealed today (Friday) the details of the incident involving the fall of the rig's columns into the water, announcing that it received a report about the collapse of one of the aging offshore drilling rigs that had been out of operation in the waiting area of Ras Gharib in the Gulf of Suez. It stated that the rig belongs to a private company that is currently not registered among the companies operating in the Egyptian petroleum sector and does not carry out any operational activities within Egypt.

According to the ministry, the rig is located in the waiting area of Ras Gharib, adjacent to the site of the General Petroleum Company, and has been out of operation for several years. It had previously been seized in favor of one of the banks.

The ministry confirmed that the incident did not result in any human casualties or leaks of petroleum materials, as the rig has been out of operation for a long time. It noted that the results of the environmental survey conducted yesterday (Thursday) showed that the environmental situation in the area is stable and that there are no signs of pollution or risks to the surrounding environment.

The ministry emphasized that necessary measures will be taken to complete the investigation into the circumstances of the incident, while communicating with the relevant authorities to inquire about the legal status of the company owning the rig.