Anyone else hear about this oil rig exploding?

BBC confirms it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11014645

@phoebusg Guess we’ll have to wait to see what they say next, and to what extent it is this time.

There are articles (a blog, really) in CNN and the New York Times. It’s been confirmed by the Coast Guard. There are thirteen people in the water wearing immersion suits. One is injured—they don’t say how they know this. The rig is not producing anything at the moment. It’s in water 2500 feet deep and is owned by Mariner.

No one knows what caused the explosion yet. Rescue craft (air and sea) are on the way.

Coast Guard Reports Blast on Oil Rig in Gulf of Mexico—nyt
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/09/02/us/AP-US-Gulf-Rig-Explosion.html?_r=1&hp

Let us hope that this will provide a secondary boost to efforts to make sure that these rigs are operating with safety first, and that they are clearly overseen and inspected by the government.

Latest news is it’s burning, but what is a production platform versus a drilling platform?

WHAT THE AHHHHH. bp needs to control their damn oil. Hey for all of you that believe in God, What color does oil appear in water. RED.
Stupid freaking bp.

Excellent news, the rig was not producing at the time of the explosion. No oil problems at this time and BP not involved this time. Some other problem this time.

A local news report on the explosion and a link to the Parent company

Mother f*ker…

Okay, according to BBC, all 13 are alive and have been transported to another platform, there’s been no sign of any oil, and they were in the middle of maintenance operations when it blew.

Statement from Mariner Energy:

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.

source

Can we safely rule out the possibility of sabotage? I mean, two so close together in both time and space looks a bit too “circumstantial” for my taste.

@CaptainHarley

I think the fact that they were performing maintenance at the time of the fire (not explosion) would be enough to fuel conspiracy theories. Considering the platform wasn’t operational at the time, it would be a pretty pointless sabotage.

I just came from work, (I was leaving when I first heard this) But thank you all for your updates! Seems like things turned ok, thank goodness!