Rough seas continue to batter the Ensco 8506 semi-submersible rig, as workers fight to pump seawater out of its breached ballast tanks.
One of the rig’s hull columns sustained damage around 3 AM Tuesday morning.
Ensco has said there is no need to evacuate the 116 aboard, and reported to the U.S. Coast Guard the condition was stable.
“All rig operations have been suspended and preparations are being made for normal disconnect procedures if necessary to make repairs,” Coast Guard said in a statement Tuesday.
Seas in the area of the rig were expected to reach 12-feet late Tuesday, with sustained winds of 20 knots.
The Coast Guard dispatched the cutter Skipjack in the event an evacuation becomes necessary.
