US Coast Guard Reports on Rig Explosion
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On Thursday, September 02, 2010, an oil rig off the Gulf of Mexico exploded.
In an interview with Oil and Gas IQ, Petty Officer Matthew Masaschi of the US Coast Guard District 8 said that "at about 9:19 this morning there was a report that an oil platform was engulfed in flames."
Currently the Coast Guard's concern is the safety of the workers who were out at the rig. Mariner Energy, which owns the rig, gave a manifest of 13 names. According to Masaschi, "these people were picked up by a local vessel…[and are being] airlifted to Terrebone General Hospital," in Louisiana.
There was a report of one injury on the rig.
"Right now efforts are focused on the search and rescue," said Petty Officer Masashic.
According to reports, the rig, owned by Mariner Energy, was in about 2,500 feet of water and was not producing oil at the time.
Interview by Jessica Livingston
