Joel Hendon

Another Explosion Hits the Already Beleaguered Gulf


Posted: Thursday, September 02, 2010

by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html

According to the Coast Guard, they received a call at 9:19 A.M. this morning from a neighboring rig , the Vermillion 380 was on fire. And then about 10:00 A.M., a helicopter pilot reported that he had seen 13 men in the water near the burning rig in special suits. The thirteen men were all picked up by Coast Guard cutters and Rescue helicopters shortly afterward. Thirteen men were the total crew and only one of them was injured.

Petty Officer Bill Coklough of the Coast Guard reported seeing an oil sheen from the platform about 100 yards wide and approximately 1 mile in length. This platform is not a drilling rig but a production platform with seven active wells on it. It is owned by Mariner Energy of Houston, Texas. They report the platform produces approximately 1,400 barrels of oil per day plus some 1,800 barrels of natural gas.

This platform is some 80 miles west from the BP drilling rig that ruptured some 3-4 months ago. The explosion and fire is reportedly not one of the wells but from the area of stored barrels of oil. There are several ships pouring huge streams of water into the fire at this time. (photo: Coast Guard release 09/02/2010)

Although any accident at this particular time sends fear racing through most peoples minds, however, the situation at present does not now appear to be nearly as catastrophic as was the Deepwater Horizon which resulted in the largest oil spill in the history of the U.S.

It has, however, added much determination to those who hold responsibility for the safety of these wells, to increase their vigilance for careful oversight of them all. Perhaps this spring has taught us something of value even in spite of the colossal damage to the gulf's ecosystem.
Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of conservative religious and political articles.http://hebronics.org/index.html

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