March 13, 2009  
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Aaron Lawsuit Ongoing v. Hercules Offshore

Hercules Offshore, Inc. is still a defendant in asbestos-related
litigation styled Robert E. Aaron et al. vs. Phillips 66 Company
et al. filed in the Circuit Court, Second Judicial District,
Jones County, Miss.

This is the case name used to refer to several cases that have
been filed in the Circuit Courts of the State of Mississippi
involving 768 persons that allege personal injury or whose heirs
claim their deaths arose out of asbestos exposure in the course
of their employment by the defendants between 1965 and 2002.

The complaints name as defendants certain of TODCO's
subsidiaries and certain subsidiaries of TODCO's former parent.
The Company acquired TODCO in July 2007.

The number of unaffiliated defendant companies involved in each
complaint ranges from about 20 to 70. The complaints allege that
the defendant drilling contractors used asbestos-containing
products in offshore drilling operations, land based drilling
operations and in drilling structures, drilling rigs, vessels
and other equipment and assert claims based on negligence and
strict liability, and claims authorized under the Jones Act.

The plaintiffs seek awards of unspecified compensatory and
punitive damages. All of these cases were assigned to a special
master who has approved a form of questionnaire to be completed
by plaintiffs so that claims made would be properly served
against specific defendants.

As of Feb. 26, 2009, about 700 questionnaires were returned and
the remaining plaintiffs, who did not submit a questionnaire
reply, have had their suits dismissed without prejudice. Of the
respondents, about 100 shared periods of employment by TODCO and
its former parent which could lead to claims against either
company.

After providing the questionnaire, each plaintiff was further
required to file a separate and individual amended complaint
naming those defendants against whom they had a direct claim as
identified in the questionnaire answers. Defendants not
identified in the amended complaints were dismissed from the
plaintiffs' litigation.

To date, three plaintiffs named TODCO as a defendant in their
amended complaints.

Headquartered in Houston, Hercules Offshore, Inc. provides
shallow-water drilling and marine services to the oil and
natural gas exploration and production industry globally. The
Company has six business segments: (1) Domestic Offshore, (2)
International Offshore, (3) Inland, (4) Domestic Liftboats, (5)
International Liftboats and (6) Delta Towing.


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