Transocean Accident Attorneys

Every Offshore Drilling Operator Must Keep Its Workers Safe

Tracing its roots to the 1920s, Transocean started as an oil and refinery company in Fort Worth, Texas. Through various mergers and acquisitions of drillship and oil companies, Transocean, as we know it today, was developed, becoming the world’s largest offshore drilling contractor by revenue. It has a fleet of 28 ultra-deepwater rigs and 9 harsh-environment rigs. The company has set depth records in offshore drilling, including 35,050 feet in the Gulf in 2009 and 10,194 off the coast of India in 2011. Transocean also had the first-ever hybrid energy storage system on a floating unit in 2019. 

Transocean has operations in the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, Black Sea, and Mediterranean. It also operates off the coasts of:

With offices across five continents, Transocean employs thousands of people around the world.

The Macondo Blowout & Deepwater Horizon Disaster

In 2009, the Deepwater Horizon was hailed for breaking a world record, drilling the deepest well for oil and gas ever recorded, 35,050 feet deep, while operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The Transocean-owned rig would then be contracted by BP to drill at the Macondo site starting in January of 2010, taking over for a rig that had to be disconnected and taken in for repairs as a result of damage sustained during Hurricane Ida in November 2009.

On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon exploded, killing 11 workers, injuring dozens more, and causing the worst accidental oil spill in U.S. history. Our lawyers represented nearly one-third of the crew that was working on the rig during the tragic explosion. When the companies in charge of the drilling project tried to blame their workers, Arnold & Itkin made sure our clients received enough compensation to pay for their medical care and provide for their families.

In February 2013, Transocean pleaded guilty to the federal charge of violating the Clean Water Act because of the resulting oil spill, paying a $400 million fine and an additional $1 billion in civil penalties.

Other Violations & Accidents on Transocean’s Part

While the Deepwater Horizon is one of the most notable tragedies in recent offshore accident history involving Transocean, this is far from the only time the company has made headlines for the wrong reasons.

Transocean's history of violations and accidents includes:

• A 2012 report from Norway’s Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) found that Transocean’s equipment maintenance program was in shambles. Officials reported that the company had incomprehensible systems in place along with processes that had gaps and deficiencies. Transocean was also found to be missing certain processes and plans.
• In 2019, a worker was hospitalized for injuries sustained when he was caught between a rail and a 1.5-ton steel adapter because of how a crane was operated. This incident occurred while he and other workers were prepping the rig for oncoming severe weather. Transocean later faced multiple charges from industry regulators, which blamed the company for failing to make sure the crane was operated according to safety regulations.
• In 2021, multiple seamen sued Transocean for leaving them to weather Hurricane Zeta, accusing the company of shoddy decision-making that risked their lives by leaving them in the path of a major hurricane.
• In 2023, the communications corporation Tampnet sued Transocean for striking its fiber optic cables during Hurricane Zeta in 2020. The incident occurred because Transocean had ordered its drillship to keep operating in the Gulf of Mexico, despite the fact that it was in the path of the hurricane.

Contact Transocean Injury Lawyers with Proven Results

At Arnold & Itkin, we’ve already gone against Transocean and other corporations like them with success. With more than $20 billion won on behalf of injured offshore workers and bereaved family members, we get results that help people move forward and hold at-fault companies responsible. Our mission is to secure a measure of justice for our clients and help them to financial recovery, fighting for them like they’re our own family, no matter what.

If we take your case, there's no upfront cost and no fee unless we win. Call (888) 346-5024 today to request your free consultation with a Transocean accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin.