Sept. 2, 2010 9:30 a.m. Update
GRAND ISLE, La. — 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.
Patrick Cassidy, a spokesman for Mariner Energy, told CNBC that there does not appear to be any oil leaking and/or sheen appearing on the water.
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.
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.
Responding to an oil spill in shallow water is much easier than in deep water, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles access equipment on the sea floor.
The platform is about 200 miles west of BP's blown out Macondo well. On Friday, BP was expected to begin the process of removing the cap and failed blow-out preventer, another step toward completion of a relief well that would complete the choke of the well.
The BP-leased rig Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 people and setting off the biggest maritime oil spill in history.
Sept. 2, 2010 9:00 a.m.
GRAND ISLE, La. — An offshore oil rig exploded Thursday in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Coast Guard was responding to reports of people in the water.
The explosion occurred west of the site of the April blast that caused the massive BP oil spill.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Casey Ranel said the blast was reported by a commercial helicopter company about 9:30 a.m.
Seven helicopters, two airplanes and four boats are en route to the site, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay along the central Louisiana coast.
Ranel said it hasn't been determined whether the structure is a production platform or a drilling rig or whether workers were aboard. Ranel says smoke was reported but it is unclear whether the rig is still burning.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer John Edwards said crews were responding to reports of people in the water. It is believed there were 13 people on the rig; one was reportedly injured and 12 were OK but not rescued yet, Edwards said.
