44 Rescued From Gulf Rig After Natural Gas Blowout

Wild well experts are converging at the site of a natural gas well blowing out of control in the Gulf some 55 miles off Louisiana's coast.

Hercules Offshore Inc. operated the drilling rig where the blowout occurred Tuesday.

Jim Noe (NOH' ee), a Hercules executive, said Tuesday evening that natural gas wells in shallow water often clog with sand, effectively snuffing themselves out. But Noe says more aggressive action may be necessary to shut down the well and experts arriving Tuesday evening would assess the situation and draw up a plan.

Authorities now say 44 four workers evacuated the rig without injury when the gas blowout occurred Tuesday morning. Earlier, they put that number at 47. There were no injuries or fires reported.