To put my 2003 estimate of 1.33 fatal accidents per 100K hours in GoM in context:
Its is 4 times the 1998-2002 fatal accident rate in GoM according to HASC data.
It is roughly twice the fatal+non-fatal rate PHI achieved between 1992 and 2000 (I note they have changed their web site recently to remome this sort of data). The extrapolated total accident rate is almost 6 times higher.
A certain 'major oil company' (if you are in the industry: you know who) has a 2000 target of less than 0.5 fatal accidents per 100k hours, and aim to reduce that target to 0.2 in 2005 (which they had been able to achieved last year), and 0.1 by the end of the decade.
Comparing with US military Class A accidents (ie fatal and high value damage accidents):
US Navy (FW & RW) Class A mishap rate in FY02 was 1.746 (FY02 slightly above the USN 5 year average)
US Army (FW & RW) Class A mishap rate in FY03 was 1.645 per 100K hours (FY03 slightly below the Army's 3 year average)
Both these are less than half the extrapolated 2003 GoM total accident rate (ie assuming things get no better by the end of the year).
Summary: A really bad year.
PS I am aware that relying to my own posts is a sign of insanity!!