Heritage Petroleum Company Limited (Heritage) says it is “sparing no effort” as the search and rescue operation continues for missing oil rig worker Pete Phillip.
Phillip went missing when the offshore rig on which he was stationed, Rig 110, collapsed in the early hours of Sunday. Of the 75 workers on the rig, he remains the only person unaccounted for.
“As advised in the Well Services Incident Report, issued to the media at 9:51 am on December 22nd 2024, of the seventy-five people onboard the rig at the time of the incident, seventy-four have been evacuated. Regrettably, one person, Mr. Pete Phillip, was unaccounted for, and remains unaccounted for as at the time of this release,” Heritage said in an official statement issued this morning.
Heritage outlined the extent of support it has provided towards the rescue effort—air, sea and subsea support:
(i) the provision of nine (9) support vessels which were involved in the initial rescue of personnel onboard the rig, and remain involved in the movement of materials, equipment and personnel, the conduct of surveys, the provision of security, oil spill monitoring, and emergency response;
(ii) The provision, through Heritage contractors, of topside drone surveillance; and
(iii) The provision, through Heritage contractors, of subsea surveillance by way of divers and remote operated vehicles.
The company confirmed that it has been liaising closely with the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries and Well Services Petroleum Company Limited.
“Heritage has set up its Incident Management Team along with dedicated business support at its Marine Base in Point Fortin. This team of over 25 members of staff is led by Heritage’s Midstream Business Unit Leader and includes the Head of the Drilling Department and the Head of the HSE Department. The Point Fortin team reports into a team located at the Port of Spain office led by the Company’s Chief Operations Officer,” Heritage reported.
Heritage says it is committed to making available “any additional resources and/or expertise which may be required as it continues to provide full support.”
