BREAKING: Another rig catches fire in the Gulf
An offshore oil platform exploded and was burning Thursday in the Gulf of Mexico about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay, with some workers reported in the water.
The explosion aboard the platform, owned by Mariner Energy, occurred west of the site of the April offshore rig blast that caused the massive BP oil spill.
The Coast Guard said no one was killed in the explosion, which was reported by a commercial helicopter flying over the site around 9 a.m. CDT.
Coast Guard Cmdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau said seven Coast Guard helicopters, two airplanes and three cutters were dispatched to the scene from New Orleans, Houston and Mobile, Ala.
Ben-Iesau said some of the 13 people believed working on the oil platform were spotted in the water in life vests. One is reportedly injured.
Ben-Iesau said authorities do not know whether oil is leaking from the site.
The Department of Homeland Security said the platform, known as Vermilion Oil Platform 380, was owned by Mariner Energy of Houston. DHS said it was not producing oil and gas.
A call to the company seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Mariner Energy focuses on oil and gas exploration 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.
If it's in shallow water, the likelihood of another major spill like the Deepwater Horizon tragedy is quite small -- so that's a relief.
Still, I guess this wasn't the best week for Big Oil to organize protests of the drilling moratorium:
Thousands of oil industry workers rallied on Wednesday to lift the moratorium on new deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and head off new taxes and punitive measures in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Companies ranging from Chevron to Apache bussed in up to 5,000 employees to the Houston convention centre to underline to Washington the industry’s contribution to the country.
“We make America run, we make America work, and they need to remember that,’’ said Carroll Robinson of the Citizens Chamber of Commerce to cheers and applause. “If you stop drilling, if you stop producing, America stops working.’’
Attendants donned red T-shirts handed out at the door that proclaimed: “We are energy nation.’’ Others wore the “I am an energy citizen’’ and “Rally for jobs, our jobs, our future,’’ included in the gift bags. They roared when several speakers noted President Obama’s Air Force One flew on fuel the industry produced and the nation watched his speeches on televisions powered by industry fuel.
“So why are we cutting off the Gulf of Mexico?’’ said John Hofmeister, former president of Shell USA and chief executive of Citizens for Affordable Energy. “You cut off your nose to spite your face, Mr president.’’
And of course in a few months there will be another "scandal" involving scary brown people, so it won't be the time then either. Basically energy reform is the Sexually transmitted disease of policy. There's never a "good" time do discuss it.
Companies ranging from Chevron to Apache bussed in up to 5,000 employees to the Houston convention centre to underline to Washington the industry’s contribution to the country.
I'm going to organize a protest against safety regulations. All these regulations cost us too much money. These people need jobs! Give them the jobs...if they die. Oh welllllll.
Or do they expect us to add to the deficit?
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
I've just received a copy of the press release the oil industry is preparing to release regarding the rig explosion. I quote it below.
"Oooops. Our bad."
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
Oops, We did it again.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CduA0TULnow&ob...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Secret German Military Report: Peak Oil could lead to collapse of democracy
We should keep our eyes open to the possibility of Disaster Capitalism at work or the use of Shock Doctrine Politics when discussing these tragedies.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
he would not have become so distracted at Stalingrad he lost sight of the oil fields in the Caucasus.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Secret German Military Report: Peak Oil could lead to collapse of democracy
Don't threaten us with a good time.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
...but I know of at least one very large and powerful Western country where democracy has already collapsed. Replaced by a one party system posing as two where even your choice of which branch of the corporate party is elected is thwarted by hacked touchscreen voting machines. Can you guess which North American nation situated between Canada and Mexico I'm talking about?
"In theory theory and practice are alike. In practice they are very different."
yeah...but the class riots haven't started yet. : o (
I'm not gettin' any younger. Can we rachet up the despair and food shortages please.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
sooner the wars will end. The U.S. Military is the biggest consumer of Oil on the planet.
but the corporate rape of the working class.
It's a not very secret German Military Report.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
DRILL BABY DRILL . .
Dick Cheney isn't. He's had to change his diet from Iraqi children to Afghani children, and has found them to have less iron.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
the hidden mineral wealth of the Afghani people?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Depleted Uranium? Although to Dick Cheney that may taste like candy for all I know.
"In theory theory and practice are alike. In practice they are very different."
Depleted Uranium. Who came up with THAT oxymoron.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
who figured out how to separate out the fissile U-235 from the non-fissile U-238 and decided to call what was left over depleted cause that's what it was. Oddly enough this group of guys was probably the greatest assemblage of geniuses ever to work on a single problem.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
Barack H. Obama, April 2, 2010
Corruption favors the wealthy.
how many have to be not leaking before "generally" is an inaccurate statement?
http://www.ods-petrodata.com/odsp/weekly_rig_...
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Next time I'll credit you for the proposition, if you want.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
generally speaking.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Chances are that this rig won't leak? Generally speaking.
Corruption favors the wealthy.
Since 2001, there have been 69 offshore deaths, 1,349 injuries and 858 fires and explosions in the gulf, according to the federal Minerals Management Service.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/04/22/loui...
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
It's true, they don't generally leak. Nuclear weapons don't generally go off either. We still spend an aweful lot of time and money trying to control and reduce the numbers and availability of nukes. Not saying oil spills are as horrendous as thermonuclear explosions, but still, when potential outcomes are horrendous, an abundance of caution is generally advisable.
Buried canisters of "depleted uranium" don't leak either.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
And planes don't generally crash. Pretty sure you are statistically safer flying across the ocean than crossing the street. Sounds like it's time to get rid of the FAA!
can thank their lucky stars they got bussed to Houston instead of flown to the rig.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
"DHS said it was not producing oil and gas."
Robert Gibbs just said it was a "production well" in a press conference...
"I could give a flying crap about the political process.... We're an entertainment company."
- Glenn Beck - Forbes interview; April 26, 2010
The rig is burning maple syrup!!
Pancakes are on the way! And waffles!!
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
Man, this one is Canada's fault? We managed to say out of most of these disasters so far!
"I could give a flying crap about the political process.... We're an entertainment company."
- Glenn Beck - Forbes interview; April 26, 2010
Blame Canada!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAYMJnO9LBQ
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Google Michigan oil spill. See who Enbridge is.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
We had ANOTHER solar spill today in the desert.
If we could get solar panels on every roof and plugin electric cars we could save the planet and all of humanity or we can keep doin' what we're doin'
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
last one. :(
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
Just heard on CBC Newsworld, according to the US Coast Guard there is a visible "oil sheen" near the rig.
"I could give a flying crap about the political process.... We're an entertainment company."
- Glenn Beck - Forbes interview; April 26, 2010
Perfectly fine. No worries. The water simply makes pretty colors.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUv4Cid3OnE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o8vsU0Dw-4
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
is already full of corexit so the oil should just dissappear. Maybe BP can bill them and try to recoupe some of their expenditures.
Just what Louisiana and this country in general needed. :(
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
Better get the cover on my hot tub before they bombard it with Corexit tonight.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
when you hear black helicopters. They have a distinctive sound.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
The country that can't do anything right.
Okay, this is pure carelessness
As in they couldn't care less.
Can we declassify darth chaney's notes from his meeting with energy pacs now?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL2p2ANFlQ4
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Christ, are they making these things out of polystyrene?
Polyurethane...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eiJxZ8AOrY
"The Department of Homeland Security said the platform, known as Vermilion Oil Platform 380, was owned by Mariner Energy of Houston. DHS said it was not producing oil and gas."
From Neiwert's Post
"Mariner has notified and is working with regulatory authorities in response to this incident," the statement said. "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."
Just in from CNN
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
This really is a very bad situation for the oil industry.
The witnesses didn't die in the explosion.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
The best part is that this company held a protest rally the day before saying Obama's moratorium was hurting them.
Oh the irony. Seems god finally decided to send these clowns a message.
Obviously, the problem is we're not drilling enough. Also, something about the preserves in Alaska and Muslims and blah blah.
who gave their lives will have died in vain.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Muslim?
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
"Colclough said the rig was not actively producing at the time of the incident."
The explosion had nothing to do with drilling or productionA drilling rig drills until it hits oil (or hits nothing) and then stops and leaves the site. (Transocean)
A production rig comes in afterward and connects to the well and starts producing. (BP)
Macondo was in Drilling stage by the Rig "Horizon" which was owned by Transocean. BP pays Transocean to "Rent" their big drilling rig until it hits oil. The cost for that Rig was $500,000 per day.
Some rigs now can do both.
I think that having drills that drill and suck go against nature and against god.
Our American values require that we keep the concepts of drilling and sucking within the natural order of things.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
Good one, L&P!
Yesterday: "This administration is trying to break us," said senior landman for Mariner Energy. "The moratorium is going to be a financial disaster for the gulf coast." Today, their rig exploded.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/26da540c-b5f3-11df-...
“I have been in the oil and gas industry for 40 years, and this administration is trying to break us,’’ said Barbara Dianne Hagood, senior landman for Mariner Energy, a small company. “The moratorium they imposed is going to be a financial disaster for the gulf coast, gulf coast employees and gulf coast residents.’’
Access the article through Google
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Vermillion 380 is conventional Shelf....340 feet of water
it was not a well explosion, it happened on the platform while the crew was sandblasting & painting.
So the friction from the sandblasting ignited the paint?
Interesting.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
but the shower of sparks generated by sandblasting could easily ignite any airborne hydrocarbons if the concentration were high enough.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
I find a nice "Beyonce Shelf" attractive.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
I don't do TV but my computer is running on methane from cow shit so fuck these terrorist scum!
Sandblast much?
The static electricity generated in blasting can be a dangerous mix
And it ignited the METHANE gas from a leak, genius.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
GRAND ISLE, La. — A mile-long sheen is now visible where an offshore petroleum platform exploded and burned Thursday off Louisiana, the Coast Guard said.
The platform is a fixed petroleum platform that was in production at the time of the fire.
It was producing about 58,800 gallons of oil and 900,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The platform can store 4,200 gallons of oil.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38973757/ns/us_ne...
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
I've sandblasted a lot and never once started a fire you well-named twit.
...you've got a natural gas/oil rig in your yard?
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
Watch the rightarded Republinazis scream "conspiracy!"
You mean it's NOT Shirley Sherrod's fault? How bout Acorn? I just KNOW there's a scary black person behind this SOMEHOW!
The wells @ the production platform are currently shut in and the fire is from flammable materials on the platform.
They put out a press release earlier that said: 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.
(as I posted earlier, an ME spokesman said the crew was sandblasting and painting when the fire broke out)
Did they say Oooops...at the beginning or end of their statement.
Please don't make me post the original BP press releases from the Deep Horizon disaster.
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
of your posts is how much faith you have in corporate spokespeople. Why they never lie, do they?
The moratorium only affects drilling. This appears to be a prodcution platform. Are you suggesting Obama should shut down Production?
Do you even know the difference?
I'm not suggesting anything, except a potential cause of the accident...beyond the type of spontaneous combustion your suggesting, and the small brush fire that causes an ENTIRE oil platform to be abandoned which is what the press release is suggesting.
MY understanding is there are actually fire suppression and control systems and procedures on these rigs. Might there have been a malfunction...or were they simply not working. Sound familiar?
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
Is there a drought in the Gulf that I wasn't aware of? Was it dried out kelp that fueled this fire?
Pedantically yours...
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
flammable materials on the platform.
This is from the company press release. You tell me...was it cardboard boxes, lumber, Christmas trees?
Flammable materials on the platform. Since oil rigs are made of steel....
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
I'm no advocate for corporate interests, but there comes a time when we have to rise above the lymbic reactionary tactics we, ourselves, accuse the 'right' of making a living on (and the Palin-esque 'attack the messenger' retorts aren't helping)
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. All 13 crew members were rescued from the water.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38973757/ns/us_ne...
Funny...I see no retraction on the slick, and from what I see...it's still burning
"Ironic, isn't it Smithers? This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you." --Mr. Burns
Fuel Tanker Runs Aground In The Arctic
What a day for this sort of thing.
Atleast now we know what President Obama was doing on his vacation when he was down in the GULF. He swam down and planted another bomb on the rig. How does he do it?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6F4GtyRfto
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
A little dab`ll do ya!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZwpFouQxQU
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
yeah....like we haven't heard that before
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