Second oil rig explosion in the Gulf underscores danger of drilling
September 2nd, 2010 by Wendi Lewis
A Gulf Coast still reeling from the April 20 Deepwater Horizon drilling platform explosion, which killed 11 workers and dumped thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico for months, braced for another round this morning when reports began coming in about another oil rig explosion off the coast of Louisiana. Again?? You could almost hear the groan of a weary population whose lives, livelihoods and lifestyle have been irreparably damaged by the BP oil disaster.
The new explosion occurred just after 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 2, sending 13 platform workers into the sea. Thankfully, the crew were protected by survival gear, and were rescued fairly quickly. Only one worker is reporting minor injury; the others appear to be unharmed.
This rig, owned by Mariner Energy, was reportedly undergoing maintenance at the time of the explosion, but company officials and the Coast Guard later confirmed that the rig was producing oil and gas when it caught fire, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Unlike the Deepwater Horizon, this platform also is not located in deep water. It is moored in an area around 340 feet deep. The Deepwater Horizon was drilling at a depth of almost a mile below the ocean surface. This platform also is not a drilling platform, but an oil production platform. It produces about 1,400 barrels of oil and 9.2 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. It is located in Vermilion Bay, off the coast of Louisiana, and about 200 miles west of the BP explosion site.
It is not yet known if there are any leaks, although a sizable oil slick surrounds the site, stretching out for about a mile. The company reports that there were seven wells active at the time of the explosi0n, but says that they have been shut in.
However, the new explosion raises fresh fears about the safety of offshore drilling. Some are calling for an extension of the moratorium on deep water drilling, which currently is scheduled to end in December. In a press conference this morning, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the administration is watching the situation, but said at this time he is not aware of whether or not the new explosion will have any effect on the current moratorium.
Additional Source: USA Today