A dramatic incident unfolded on Alaska’s remote North Slope late Friday afternoon when Doyon Drilling Rig 26, one of the largest mobile land rigs in North America, toppled over during transport. The event occurred around 4:45 p.m. on January 23, 2026, while the rig was traveling on an ice road on the North Slope of Alaska. Emergency responders responded to a fire which is now contained and officials confirmed all personnel were accounted for with no serious injuries reported. No damage was sustained to nearby community infrastructure, pipelines, or fuel transport systems, though crews remained on site to monitor the situation.
The rig, affectionately nicknamed “The Beast,” weighs nearly 10 million pounds and is engineered for extreme extended-reach drilling in harsh Arctic conditions. Built through a collaboration between Doyon Drilling and ConocoPhillips starting in 2011, it arrived on the North Slope in 2020 and has been pivotal in projects like the Fiord West Kuparuk development, where it drilled a record-setting horizontal well exceeding 35,000 feet in measured depth. The Doyon 26 features a 165-foot cantilever mast with a 1.3 million-pound hook load capacity, powered by eight Caterpillar 3512C dual-fuel engines totaling 8,400 kW, allowing operation on diesel, natural gas, or HiLine power. Its modular design includes five support modules, a two-piece subbase for easier transport over ice bridges or roads, and advanced systems like a NOV TDS-1000H top drive delivering up to 88,075 foot-pounds of torque. Capable of accessing 154 square miles from a single 14-acre pad—nearly three times the reach of conventional rigs—it minimizes environmental impact by reducing the need for new infrastructure.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy addressed the incident in a statement on X, saying, “I was informed the Doyon rig 26 toppled over as it was being moved and I have been in contact with ConocoPhillips leadership. A video circulating online shows the rig toppling over and the lights going out right before it hit the ground.
ConocoPhillips emphasized safety in its official update, noting the fire’s quick containment and ongoing response efforts. The North Slope, a critical hub for U.S. oil production, relies on such advanced equipment for efficient resource extraction amid challenging permafrost and weather. This mishap highlights the risks of operating heavy machinery in Alaska’s unforgiving environment, where even routine moves can turn hazardous.
This is a developing story.