Oil rig explodes in Gulf, injuring 1 worker and causing mile long oil slick
This morning an offshore oil platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, forcing 13 workers to abandon the rig. All 13 workers are accounted for, and 1 is reported injured, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The New York Times reports that there is a 1 mile sheen of oil near the site of the explosion, 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay, Louisiana. The Times says this contradicts earlier reports from Mariner Energy, which operates the platform, that there was no sign of spillage.
Hurricane Creekkeeper has been posting updates today on his blog BP Slick. Read his reports from this morning below, and go directly to his blog for most recent updates.
Map source: BP Slick.
Coast Guard: Platform explodes in Gulf, 13 workers rescued
[Updated at 12:31 p.m.] All thirteen people aboard a production platform that exploded in the Gulf are accounted for and safely on a commercial vessel according to initial information, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement.
[Updated at 11:53 a.m.] U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough tells CNN that 12 people from the production platform are in water immersion suits as they await rescue.
Colclough told CNN there are reports the production platform, which is for both oil and natural gas, is still on fire.
"We don't know what caused the rig to catch on fire," he told CNN, noting the incident is under investigation.
Asked about concerns regarding oil leaks or pollution, Colclough said "there are reports the rig was not actively producing any product, so we don't know if there's any risk of pollution."
Mariner Energy is a leading independent oil and gas exploration and production company in the Gulf of Mexico. About 85 percent of the company's production comes from offshore assets, with a growing share of that coming from deepwater developments.
The explosion comes nearly five months after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20, killing 11 people and causing oil to gush into the Gulf of Mexico, leading to one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history.
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[Updated at 11:43 a.m.] U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough tells CNN that all 13 workers involved in the production platform explosion are accounted for, but one person is injured.
Coast Choppers are on the way to the site 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay.
[Posted at 11:33 a.m.] An oil production platform has exploded 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana, with 12 people overboard and one missing, the Coast Guard said Thursday morning.
Rescue attempts are under way for at least 12 people, Coast Guard spokesman John Edwards told CNN. 13 people were on board the production platform total, Edwards said, noting 12 have been accounted for, but one person was missing.
The accident took place 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana on the Vermilion Oil production platform 380, which is owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy.
The Coast Guard has multiple helicopters, an airplane and several Coast Guard cutters en route. It's unknown if there are any injuries.
WWL: Coast Guard reporting production platform incident
WDSU: Production platform explodes in Gulf