oil rig explodes off louisiana coast

[y04185]

full story

DEVELOPING: An offshore petroleum rig exploded and was burning Thursday in the Gulf of Mexico about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay.

A spokesman for the Coast Guard told Fox News Radio that all 13 crew members on the rig are alive and have been safely accounted for.

The rig, which is in about 2,500 feet of water, is owned by Mariner Energy of Houston and located 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay along the central Louisiana coast.

The Department of Homeland Security said the platform was not producing oil or gas at the time of the explosion.

 

Coast Guard Petty Officer Casey Ranel said the blast was reported by a commercial helicopter company about 9:30 a.m. CDT on Thursday.

Seven helicopters, two airplanes and four boats are en route to the site.

[Jay_Thomas]

another explosion?   y'all smell sumpin?

[y04185]

the coast guard is reporting an oil leak.

[Cholly]

Vote republiklan and you'll see a LOT more of this.

Remember; they not only want FEWER regulations, they want MORE drilling. 

How did sister sarah put it?

DRILL BABY DRILL!!!

[y04185]

wrong cholly. 

[Cholly]

About what wh?y? That the republiklans want FEWER oil rigs? Or are you saying they want MORE regulations?

Which is it?

Yeah... just what I thought. IDIOT. 

[y04185]

the coast guard is backing off it's earlier claim of spotting an oil sheen.

full story

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Coast Guard is backing off its earlier report that an oil sheen about a mile long was spreading following a platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico
.

Coast Guard Cmdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau said Thursday afternoon that crews was unable to confirm the oil sheen. The Coast Guard says platform owner Mariner Energy reported a sheen about a mile long and 100 feet wide. But the company has said in a statement that an initial flyover didn't find an oil spill.

Ben-lesau says the fire on the platform has been put out.

The explosion and fire were was reported by a commercial helicopter flying over the site around 9 a.m. CDT. All 13 people aboard the rig were rescued as they floated in the nearby water in survival outfits called gumby suits.

[Blackcaesar2k5]

The time is right to explore alternative enegry and end our additicion to oil at last!!!!!!!!!!!!

[y04185]

good luck with that one blackcaesar.  that is the reason carter created the department of energy.  we all know how well they are doing with alternative energy. 

[soflorattler]

 

Read'em and weep...

[y04185]

About what wh?y? That the republiklans want FEWER oil rigs? Or are you saying they want MORE regulations?

Which is it?

Yeah... just what I thought. IDIOT. 

wrong again as usual.  every cutoff mechanism worked on this rig. 

[SkegeeFAMU]

As long as gasoline and diesel remain relatively cheap (under $4 a gallon), we aren't going to do any more than pay lip service towards alternative energy!!

[Cholly]

^^^True.

MOST people still drive gas hogs.