Without speculating on this latest event, I would not be at all surprised if it was fuel. Even the so-called "majors" suffer with a dwindling number of "fuel for all" or even "prior permission" fuel stations. It makes flight planning all the more critical.
And it's not simply a matter of sticking more fuel installations offshore. The oil company has to find space for it, and the oil company personnel have to do the transferring of the transporters from the boat to the platform, and then the fuel from the transporter to the tank. Then there's the prospect of having more helicopter traffic on their deck and its attendant risk. So they are VERY reluctant to let any but their own ships drink from that well.
Every helicopter operator locks their fuel stations, so Air Log can't pump PHI fuel and vice-versa. (Few pilots carry around "universal" fuel keys - bolt cutters.) And there are almost no meters on the pumps, so even if operators shared there's no way of keeping track of gallons pumped except pilot honesty (yeah, right!).
When the smaller operators like Rotorcraft and Tex-Air began getting a foothold in the GOM, I worried about their fuel availability. It's usually not a problem when the weather is nice and the winds are light and the loads are light and everything goes according to plan...but throw even one "slight" change of itinerary (the dreaded, "Hey, let's swing by...") or stronger winds offshore and it can really mess with your mind as you try to figure where you're going to get fuel now.
I've had my share of fuel scares out in the GOM even though my paycheck came from one of the majors. I just cannot imagine the pucker factor of working for RTI or Tex-Air every day. That's the kind of pressure a pilot really doesn't need.
...Finally, no matter what turns out to be the cause of this latest engine failure, WHY DIDN'T HE POP THE FLOATS?! It would really suck to do a nice, pretty auto to the water and then forget to pull the trigger. That would be the "D'OH!" heard 'round the world.