Update from the Coast Guard at WWL-TV:
http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/Coa...-explosion-south-of-Grand-Isle-102065593.html
Posted on September 2, 2010 at 10:09 AM
Updated today at 2:40 PM
An explosion on an oil platform south of Vermilion Bay sent the 13 people on board into the water Thursday morning around 9:30 a.m. All 13 of the people were rescued and all have been sent to Terrebonne General Medical Center
[in Houma, Louisiana - ak], though only one reportedly was injured in the incident, which happened 100 miles south of Vermillion Bay.
Apache spokesman Bob Dye said
the platform is in shallow water. The platform was identified as Vermilion 308 A, according to Mariner.
"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," said Bill Mintz, a spokeman for Apache, in a statement.
Responding to an oil spill in shallow water is much easier than in deepwater, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles access equipment on the sea floor.
Note: Hospital location added by aksleuth
Good news - no one was killed and it's location is in shallow water.