Houston, 16 November (Argus) — A Black Elk Energy oil platform in shallow water about 20 miles southeast of Grand Isle Louisiana was struck by a massive fire this morning that has now been extinguished, the US Coast Guard confirmed earlier today. It is unclear whether any workers have died in the incident.
Coast Guard ensign Glenn Sanchez revised an earlier agency report that two people were killed in the incident to say the agency is not currently confirming any deaths. Eleven of the 22 workers on the platform were airlifted by Medevac for medical treatment, and two workers are confirmed missing, he said. The other nine workers were relocated to nearby rigs and platforms.
Coast Guard spokesmen earlier today said Black Elk had confirmed the death of two of 28 workers, with another two missing and four being airlifted to the West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, Louisiana.
It is still unclear what caused the fire on the platform in 56ft of water, Sanchez said. The platform was not producing oil or gas at the time of the fire because it was in the midst of maintenance work, including the cutting of a pipe. Black Elk's website this morning said it encouraged breaking down old rigs and platforms and sinking them to create new reefs in Gulf waters, but it was not clear if this platform had been slated for dismantling.
Crews are currently moving in to investigate the accident, which was reported this morning at 10am ET. The Coast Guard has deployed several multi-purpose assets, including craft used in search-and-rescue operations. It has sent a 45-foot boat, a 41-foot boat, two helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft. It had deployed a 87-foot cutter but has since recalled it.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), which regulates operations in offshore waters, also confirmed it had received reports of a fire on a facility in the US Gulf of Mexico and is sending crews to assess the situation. BSEE is coordinating with the US Coast Guard.
Black Elk, based in Houston, Texas, has not responded to requests for comment. Yesterday the company announced it had been awarded the No. 41 spot on the Houston Chronicle's list of top places to work.
The fire came just one day after BP announced a record $4.5bn settlement for its role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, which caused the largest offshore oil spill in US history. Today's fire has immediately sparked criticism, including from the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, which called it a “wake-up call.”
“For years, the oil and gas industry has been characterized by a culture that values production over safety,” executive director Tom O'Connor said, citing the BP spill and refinery accidents in Texas City, Texas, and Richmond, California. “We call on the leaders of the oil and gas industry to take all necessary measures to ensure that workers are encouraged to report safety hazards.”
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