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The largest mobile oil drilling rig in North America lost control and toppled over on Alaska’s North Slope as it was moving on Friday. The rig, Doyon 26, was moving along an “ice road,” according to authorities, when it tipped over.

ConocoPhillips Alaska officials reported that a small fire erupted on the oil rig when it crashed to the ground. All personnel in the area were reportedly accounted for, and there were no serious injuries, they added.

“There was a small fire, but so far [it] appears to be minimal damage to the environment and no impact to oil infrastructure or facilities,” Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy stated on Facebook. “They are responding with a team, working on plans to recover the rig, and we will know more as they assess.”

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation issued a separate statement. KTUU News reported that the agency is working with ConocoPhillips officials to oversee containment efforts and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

A video shows the mobile oil drilling rig lit up as it travels along the road. Then the structure’s lights go dark just as it hits the ground.

A contractor who helped build the massive mobile oil drilling rig discussed its history and his reaction to the crash

The massive mobile land oil drilling rig nicknamed “The Beast” took 18 months to build. Matt Maly, a former contractor who helped assemble the rig, shared his reaction to the rig crashing with KTUU News.

“My first initial fear was, is everybody okay, because I know a lot of guys on that rig,” he said. “And then you know, obviously I was sad to see it go because we put so many hours and hard work and dedication, years, over 18 months it took from the ground up to basically reach the deadhorse stage. So to see it go down, it was, you know, it was a sad day.”

The Doyon 26 rig, which set a long-distance drilling record in Alaska in 2022, split into two units, the bottom section and the top drilling floor, as it hit the ground, according to Maly. He added that some support modules might remain intact, but the heart of the drilling unit is now unusable.

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MotorBiscuit Senior Editor

Doug Sheckler

Doug Sheckler is a Senior Editor at MotorBiscuit and BroBible. He began his professional career working for an auto racing sanctioning body, and subsequently founded his own racing series, which remains in operation today. He has since spent the better part of two decades creating, editing, and writing for a variety of websites.

These days, he has a special affinity for hypercars and other exotic vehicles that he will never own. He also enjoys delving into stories about the world of criminals, the more foolish and/or clever the better, and is always up for a good conspiracy theory. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from the University of Iowa.

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