Second offshore rig explodes in GOM, USA.

13 oil workers pulled from sea after second offshore rig explodes in Gulf of Mexico
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 9:15 PM on 2nd September 2010
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

An offshore petroleum platform has exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the April blast that caused the massive oil spill.

U.S. Coast Guard officers received reports of the explosion at the rig which produces 1,400 barrels of oil a day from a commercial helicopter company at about 2.30pm today.

A mile-long oil sheen was seen on the surface near the burning platform as a single fire-fighting ship tackled the blaze.

Seven helicopters, two aeroplanes and four boats were sent to the site, about 100 miles south of Vermilion Bay off the central Louisiana coast.

On fire: The burning oil rig is sited 100 miles of the coast of Louisiana, US. 13 crew members were rescued by Coast Guard boats sent to the scene after an explosion

All 13 people aboard the rig were rescued from the sea after evacuating the rig as the fire took hold.

One of the crew members was injured, but the extent was not known.

They were rescued from the water by an offshore service vessel, the Crystal Clear, and then taken to a nearby platform.

All were being flown to the Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma to be checked over.

'Thirteen people were seen huddled together in the water wearing gumby suits or immersion suits, water protection suits, so we were able to confirm that all people were accounted for,' Coast Guard spokesman Chief Petty Officer John Edwards said.

'These guys had the presence of mind, used their training to get into those gumby suits before they entered the water. It speaks volumes to safety training and the importance of it because, beyond getting off the rig, there's all the hazards of the water such as hypothermia.'

Seven Coast Guard helicopters, two aeroplanes and three cutters were dispatched to the scene from New Orleans, Houston and Mobile, Alabama.

The platform, known as Vermilion Oil Platform 380, was owned by Mariner Energy of Houston.

Rescue operation: Boats are seen spraying water on the oil platform

Damping down: The rig produces 900,000 cubic litres of natural gas each day

It stands in just 340ft of water and produces 900,000 cubic litres of natural gas each day.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama was in a national security meeting and did not know whether Obama had been informed of the explosion.

'We obviously have response assets ready for deployment should we receive reports of pollution in the water,' Gibbs said.

Mariner Energy focuses on oil and gas exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico.

In April, Apache Corp., another independent petroleum company, announced plans to buy Mariner in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $3.9 billion, including the assumption of about $1.2 billion of Mariner's debt.

Explosion: The Coast Guard Cutter Decisive, which was involved after the Deepwater Horizon spill, has been sent to a fresh blast at another rig today

The deal is still pending, while a company report said the well was drilled in the third quarter of 2008.

Federal authorities have cited Mariner Energy and related entities for ten accidents in the Gulf of Mexico over the last four years, according to safety records from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.

The accidents range from platform fires to pollution spills and a blowout, according to accident-investigation reports from the agency formerly known as the Minerals Management Service.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1308422/BREAKING-NEWS-Offshore-oil-rig-explodes-Gulf-Mexico.html#ixzz0yPJ7bDII

ROVworld Webteam Joined: Dec 26, 2003 Location: Scotland

It's bound to be BPs fault.

Member Joined: Dec 17, 2003 Location: Thailand

rayshields wrote:

It's bound to be BPs fault.

Or it could be that ol' chestnut - "Pay peanuts.........."

I'll go with Ray on that..... According to Obama's crowd BP are the worst oil company out there.. look what they did to American waters.. those pesky unsafe foreign Operators. Lets hammer them.

Now lets see what happens with this American owned company. Major Oil spill or not as stated by previous posters in the BP thread they should get an equally hard time from the US administration.

Member Joined: Dec 17, 2003 Location: Thailand

Guys,

According to the article in the above link:

Federal authorities have cited Mariner Energy and related entities for ten accidents in the Gulf of Mexico over the last four years, according to safety records from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.

The accidents range from platform fires to pollution spills and a blowout, according to accident-investigation reports from the agency formerly known as the Minerals Management Service.

And looking at their website/ Officers tab:

http://www.mariner-energy.com/officers.html#

Check out the first and foremost fellow & where he previously was employed!!!

It looks like it's an American-managed incorporated company that has interests in 90 blocks offshore and at least 800 wells inshore.

This company looks pretty fluid to me - now why would they ever want to cut costs???? Twisted Evil

Member Joined: Jan 18, 2010 Location: Singapore

It would be fair and balanced to point out at this juncture that while Obama may be a tad guilty of bashing the Brits on the BP episode, we should in fact count our blessings. George 'W' would probably have invaded and enslaved us, if indeed he managed to find us on a map.

Member Joined: Dec 17, 2003 Location: Thailand

KreuzOps wrote:

It would be fair and balanced to point out at this juncture that while Obama may be a tad guilty of bashing the Brits on the BP episode, we should in fact count our blessings. George 'W' would probably have invaded and enslaved us, if indeed he managed to find us on a map.

Kruez,

Ya' fergot: without pay, 364 days a year, and no internet....

Member Joined: Feb 24, 2009 Location: USA

KreuzOps wrote:

It would be fair and balanced to point out at this juncture that while Obama may be a tad guilty of bashing the Brits on the BP episode, we should in fact count our blessings. George 'W' would probably have invaded and enslaved us, if indeed he managed to find us on a map.

That's a pretty ignorant statement you make there kiddo... Oh well, people only speak what they know...

Chief

Chief,

It was a joke!

Member Joined: Jun 05, 2004

Member Joined: Feb 24, 2009 Location: USA

jamesmc wrote:

Chief,

It was a joke!

I get it now, sort of like BP= British Petroleum right?

Chief

Member Joined: Feb 24, 2009 Location: USA

Pony boy (see, now that's funny Very Happy

), you complain about greedy companies, but aren't companies in it for money? They have a responsibility to make as much money as they can for their shareholders, bottom line...

BP is by no means the innocent company your making them out to be. Don't get me wrong, I was shocked & pissed when the govt said they had their boot on the necks of BP... But lets remember, BP is inescapabley responsible for 11 men's deaths. They didn't do squat voluntarily, they did it because they knew if they didn't pony up a little slush fund, the govt. would come down on them like a ton of bricks.

It's kind of humorous how a lot of folks here live by a double standard... I mean they can sure dish it out like a bully, but when someone stands up they cry someone is being unfair or mean to them...
Chief

Member Joined: Apr 12, 2010

Guys, I normally don't try and give too many opinions as we all know how every one else's stinks. Yes it is a tragedy, that there was a loss of life but let's be honest and question if it was an American company involved would the legislature have been changed to hammer a company and put a foot to their throats? All we have to do is look back in time and see how the standards differed and the US gov't did not get involved when disasters happened like the Union Carbide fiasco in India so many years ago. I believe the company should make reparations, but they are not the only company in the world that is in buisness to make profits for their share holders.

Cheers,

canuck1

Well i wasnt going to chime in on this but i guess i will since i am an american in american waters i guess i will voice my opnion. As for BP they are far from the worst company in the Oil industry. They have had their share off issues but ALL Oil companies have including Shell, Exxon, BP, Apache, Petrobras, Pemex etc. Its funny i hear everyone badgering BP, Well how come no one cme down on Petrobras when they had a Semi sink and cause a major Oil spill or Pemex that had the same issue.

Mariner Energy: As for issues with Mariner Engery i have worked on a number of projects for Mariner Energy from Platform Inspections to P&A work. Issues here and there doesnt make a company a bad company, it just means that there is work to be done to make them a better a company. So before the rumors start from people that has no clue as to the way a company is ran across the pond.

As for BP casuing the coastline and economy issues, well being a resident of Louisiana i dont see any difference from before the oil spill till after the oil spill. The economy was crap before the oil spill and the Oil spill just gave everyone a reason to receive free money and cry about the problems thaat they was already having. If people really want to complain and have issues why dont people have issues with the fact that the families of the 11 workers that lost their lives still have to receive a dime but the local scum and cry babies have received countless payouts. I was out of work and not able to go offshore for almost 9 months yet unlike others including people who was no where near the coast asked for any money. We (The Offshore Workers) sat back and waited to get back to work while the babies cried for free money. Take a look back and see what really happened before blaming this company and that company.

Oh and for the record. It was a Platform not a Rig