fire
BP official: Effort to shut down Gulf oil well was late
In a meeting with a federal investigative panel, a BP vice president said that workers on the doomed Gulf of Mexico oilrig were distracted by multiple activities going on simultaneously. They didn't try to shut the well until 49 minutes after potentially explosive gas particles began flowing, and by the time the crew reacted, the hydrocarbons were already in the riser and couldn't be contained, only diverted. An explosion occurred just minutes later. Full article.
Be Safe this Holiday Season!
State Fire Marshal H. "Butch" Browning urges LA citizens to enjoy the upcoming holiday season but wants to remind people that fires do not take a holiday. There are several things individuals can do to ensure safety, including not placing a holiday tree near a heat source, fireplace or vent and maintaining holiday lights. Full article.
Tidewater captain and crew heroes of BP Horizon rescue
Cliff Laborde recently told Avoyellestoday the amazing story of how one of the ships of his family company played the key role in the rescue of the men who jumped into the water after the gulf well explosion. Tidewater Marine was founded in 1954, with its original charter filed in Marksville. Full article.
Latest Gulf oil rig problem differs from BP spill
Stark differences exist between the oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico and the blast that led to the massive BP spill. Most notably: no one died and no crude gushed into the water. The Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen a mile long and 100 feet wide had begun to spread from the site of the blast, but hours later said crews were unable to find any spill. Houston-based Mariner Energy, did not know what caused the fire. Full Article.
Coast Guard: No oil leaking from platform fire
The US Coast Guard reported that daybreak brought no reports of oil leaking from an offshore oil platform that erupted in flames on September 2. Thirteen people were rescued after the fire on the Vermilion 380 platform owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy. Full Article.
Update: Mile-long sheen visible after Gulf oil platform explodes
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that a mile-long sheen is now visible where an offshore petroleum platform exploded and burned off Louisiana. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Coklough said the sheen, about 100 feet wide, was spotted near the platform owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy Inc. The fire on the rig is contained, but not extinguished. Mariner Energy deployed three firefighting vessels to the oil rig explosion site and one already was in place fighting the fire. All 13 people aboard the rig were found floating in the water in survival gear. Full Article.
Another Rig Explosion in Gulf of Mexico - Update
The US Coast Guard confirmed there was an explosion on a rig owned by Mariner Energy in Gulf of Mexico. Around 9:30am, September 2, a rig 80 miles south of Vermillion Bay caught on fire. There were reports of people in the water, and all of the 13 people on the rig are accounted for. Full Article.
BP: Ship fire halts oil capture from gushing well in gulf
A bolt of lightning struck the ship capturing oil from a blown-out BP well in the Gulf of Mexico, igniting a fire that halted containment efforts. The fire was quickly extinguished and no one was injured. The fire occurred on the Discoverer Enterprise, where engineers are siphoning about 630,000 gallons of oil a day through a cap on top of the well. Full Article.
Outlaw’s in Pineville reopens after fire
Outlaw’s, the barbecue restaurant on King's Country Road, opens to the public on May 25, three months after a fire. The restaurant hosted local firefighters and law enforcement personnel for lunch and dinner to show appreciation for their efforts to save the building and to get a practice run in before the official reopening. Full Article.
