An inactive oil rig owned by Mariner Energy exploded this morning in the Gulf of Mexico, injuring one worker.
There is no word on whether the rig, which was not producing oil at the time of the explosion, is likely to leak or pollute the surrounding area. U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough spoke to CNN and answered questions about environmental safety and the cause of the explosion:
“We don’t know what caused the rig to catch on fire,” he told CNN, noting the incident is under investigation.
Asked about concerns regarding oil leaks or pollution, Colclough said “there are reports the rig was not actively producing any product, so we don’t know if there’s any risk of pollution.”
12 workers from the production platform await rescue in water immersion suits as of noon EST. “Several helicopters” are reportedly en route to the site of the incident, south of Vermillion Bay in Louisiana.
