On April 20, 2010, an and fire occurred on the , which was owned and operated by and drilling for in the about 40 miles (64 km) southeast off the coast. The explosion and subsequent fire resulted in the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon and the deaths of 11 workers.
[pdf] The Gulf is home to more than 3,500 offshore oil and gas structures, though only a small number are active drilling sites. For the men and women working on these platforms, the risks are constant.
[pdf] If the hydrostatic head of the drilling fluid is insufficient to control subsurface pressure, formation fluids will flow into the well. To maintain well control, back pressure is applied by routing the returns throug.
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