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How disaster was avoided in latest oil drama to hit the Gulf
Source: Agencies |
September 4, 2010, Saturday
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UNLIKE the blast that led to the massive BP spill, the latest oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico killed no one and sent no crude gushing into the water.
The Mariner Energy-owned platform that erupted in flames on Thursday was just 320 kilometers west of the spill site, but everything from the structures to the operations to the safety devices were different.
The United States Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen had begun to spread, but hours later said crews were unable to find any spill.
Petty Officer Steve Lehmann in New Orleans said yesterday morning that a Coast Guard cutter patrolling the area had not reported any signs of leaks. A helicopter was to survey the site later in the day.
By comparison, the Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20 killed 11 workers and caused a three-month oil leak that spilled 780 million liters of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Houston-based Mariner did not know what caused Thursday's fire.
The 13 workers who had been pulled out from the water said there was a blast on board, but Mariner's Patrick Cassidy said he considered what happened a fire, not an explosion.
Platforms are vastly different from oil drilling rigs like BP's Deepwater Horizon.
They are usually brought in after wells are already drilled and sealed and oil is flowing at a predictable pressure.
"A production platform is much more stable," said Andy Radford, an API expert on offshore oil drilling.
Many platforms, especially those in shallower water, stand on legs that are drilled into the sea floor.
Like a giant octopus, each spreads numerous pipelines and can tap into many wells at once.
The Deepwater Horizon was drilling a well 1,500 meters beneath the sea, which made trying to plug it after it blew out an incredible challenge.
The platform that caught fire, meanwhile, was operating in 105 meters of water in a shallow area of the Gulf.
Responding to a spill in such a spot would be much easier than in deep water, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles.
Mariner Energy officials said there were seven active production wells on its platform, and they were shut down shortly before the fire broke out.
Crew members were flown to hospital and released on Thursday evening.
The Mariner Energy-owned platform that erupted in flames on Thursday was just 320 kilometers west of the spill site, but everything from the structures to the operations to the safety devices were different.
The United States Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen had begun to spread, but hours later said crews were unable to find any spill.
Petty Officer Steve Lehmann in New Orleans said yesterday morning that a Coast Guard cutter patrolling the area had not reported any signs of leaks. A helicopter was to survey the site later in the day.
By comparison, the Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20 killed 11 workers and caused a three-month oil leak that spilled 780 million liters of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Houston-based Mariner did not know what caused Thursday's fire.
The 13 workers who had been pulled out from the water said there was a blast on board, but Mariner's Patrick Cassidy said he considered what happened a fire, not an explosion.
Platforms are vastly different from oil drilling rigs like BP's Deepwater Horizon.
They are usually brought in after wells are already drilled and sealed and oil is flowing at a predictable pressure.
"A production platform is much more stable," said Andy Radford, an API expert on offshore oil drilling.
Many platforms, especially those in shallower water, stand on legs that are drilled into the sea floor.
Like a giant octopus, each spreads numerous pipelines and can tap into many wells at once.
The Deepwater Horizon was drilling a well 1,500 meters beneath the sea, which made trying to plug it after it blew out an incredible challenge.
The platform that caught fire, meanwhile, was operating in 105 meters of water in a shallow area of the Gulf.
Responding to a spill in such a spot would be much easier than in deep water, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles.
Mariner Energy officials said there were seven active production wells on its platform, and they were shut down shortly before the fire broke out.
Crew members were flown to hospital and released on Thursday evening.
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