Gas Platform Sinks Offshore Venezuela

Gas platform sinks in the Caribbean Sea off  Venezuelan coast, all 95 workers onboard evacuated safely

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has reportedly announced news of the sinking via the Internet.

The rig’s owners, Aban Offshore Ltd, an Indian-registered company  said  the platform had been listing, but were unsure as to the cause of sinking, BBC reported.

“The  firm’s CEO, Gopal Dupalkrishnan, told the BBC from his offices in Singapore that the sem-isubmersible drilling rig had been under contract to a company owned by the Venezuelan government.”

The rig was said to be drilling 16 gas wells in the Mariscal Sucre offshore natural gas project, located to the north-east of Sucre state.

Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, was responsible for developing the Mariscal Sucre project, Reuters reported.

President Chavez message via Twitter read:

“I’m afraid to inform you that gas platform Aban Pearl sank a few moments ago. The good news is that 95 workers are safe.”

“They were evacuated and at the moment two Navy patrols are moving to the area.” He wrote.

“Later, Venezuela’s Energy and Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said the Dragon 6 natural gas field being drilled by the Aban Pearl had been stabilized and there was no risk of leaks.” BBC said.

The incident comes just hours after Fire-Earth posted the following:

Gulf of Mexico: A Waiting Disaster

Related Links:

• Oil Disasters [Index Page includes a plethora of resources on oil spills]
• Gulf of Mexico: A Waiting Disaster

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