Photo of the Vermillion 380 oil rig that exploded
September 2, 2010 Source: KATC
by Conservative Generation and Left Coast Rebel
(Scroll for updates and photos from the explosion scene)
Hot from the wires.
USA Today reports:
An oil rig has exploded in the Gulf of Louisiana, WDSU reports. Thirteen workers aboard the rig were reportedly thrown into the water, but have been accounted for.
Update at 11:35 a.m. ET: MSNBC quotes a Coast Guard spokesman as saying all of the workers were wearing protective gear.
Update at 11:38 a.m. ET: MSNBC quotes Coast Guard Petty Officer John Edwards as saying one worker has been injured, but he did not know the extent of the injuries. Edwards says 9 helicopters and some fixed-wing aircraft as well as four Coast Guard cutters have been sent to the site.
Update at 11:41 a.m. ET: The Coast Guard says the oil rig is located 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay, Louisiana.
Update 11:45 a.m. ET WDSU is reporting one person missing and give time of the explosion.
One person is missing after a rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
It happened around 9 a.m., and as of 10:15 a.m., the rig was still burning, Chief Petty Officer John Edwards said. Rescue crews from New Orleans and Houston are responding.
Update at 11:50 a.m. ET: Good news - all 13 workers onboard the Mariner company oil rig, Vermillion oil rig 380 are accounted for. Injuries are unknown at this point. The Coast Guard is reporting that the Vermillion Oil Rig 380 is on fire at this point. It is unknown but likely that oil is spilling from the rig at this point.
Update at 12:07 p.m. Et: Left Coast Rebel reader Rev. Paul just wrote,
"Once is an unfortunate accident. Twice is a possible terrorist action."
What do you think? How long do you think that it may take for the investigation behind this to prove that it is a case of eco-terrorism? Perhaps one of the 13 workers that were saved may provide insight into the cause of the Vermillion 380 oil rig. Does James Jay Lee have a friend that works on oil rigs?
CNBC is reporting that the Vermillion 380 rig was a well drilled in 2009 and is not a deep water well, rather it is on the Continental Shelf. We still don't know if there is oil spilling into the Gulf. Mariner Energy's stock was hit hard earlier but has recovered a bit as well.
Update 12:15 p.m. ET:
Local news WWLTV has a map location of the well and lots of good reporting being that they are local.
Colclough said the rig owned by Mariner Energy was still on fire as of 11 a.m. and that reports are that it wasn’t an active well.
Four Coast Guard choppers from New Orleans and four from Houston were in route to the scene. A vessel was also in transit.
Coast Guard Cmdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau says some of those from the rig were spotted in emergency flotation devices.
Mariner Energy focuses on oil and gas exploration and production company focused on 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. That deal
is pending.
Apache spokesman Bob Dye said the rig is in shallow water.
Responding to an oil spill in shallow water is much easier than in deepwater, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles access equipment on the sea floor.
The platform is about 200 miles west of BP's blown out Macondo well. On Friday, BP was expected to begin the process of removing the cap and failed blow-out preventer, another step toward completion of a relief well that would complete the choke of the well. The BP-leased rig Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 people and setting off a massive oil spill.
Update 12:22 a.m. ET: Patrick Cassidy, Mariner Energy spokesman, confirmed that all 13 crew members are safe. He said that at this time, no oil is visible and that the explosion was at the topside of the rig, away from the wells.
He stressed that the rig is was not under 'drilling operations' and that no seepage is believed to have occurred at this point. He also stressed the term 'fire' and not 'explosion' aboard the Vermillion 380 oil rig.
Update 12:30 p.m. ET: The Left Coast Rebel is getting hits to this article on Google queries of, "Vermillion Oil George Bush", "Mariner Energy Dick Cheney, George Bush" and the best - "Tea Party Blows up Gulf Oil Rig".
Of course the latter is false but the two former are actual real time search phrases. Can you believe the communist nutroots?
Update 12:40 p.m. ET: Here's the Google map location of the Mariner Vermillion 380 oil rig:
Update 1:22 p.m. ET:CNN interviews a Coast Guard representative at the site.
Update 1:25 p.m. ET:Mariner Energy, owner of the oil rig that exploded today has finally released a statement:
Mariner Energy, Inc. (NYSE: ME) confirms that a fire has occurred at a production platform located on Vermilion Block 380, approximately 100 miles from the Louisiana coast. All 13 members of the crew have been evacuated and safely accounted for. No injuries have been reported. In an initial flyover, no hydrocarbon spill was reported.
Mariner has notified and is working with regulatory authorities in response to this incident. The cause is not known, and an investigation will be undertaken. During the last week of August 2010, production from this facility averaged approximately 9.2 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and 1,400 barrels of oil and condensate. Updated information will be provided as available.
About Mariner Energy, Inc. Mariner Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration, development, and production company headquartered in Houston, Texas, with principal operations in the Permian Basin, South Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. For more information about Mariner, visit the company's website at www.mariner-energy.com.
Updated: A picture of the Mariner Vermillion 380 oil rig burning in the distance, hat tip Culture Map:
Updated: Viewer submitted photos from local KATC:
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