Posted on 08/17/2004 1:12:45 PM PDT by TexasCowboy
Is this anything like those North Sea oil rig disasters I always see on the history channel? Were those rigs destroyed as well?
I have nothing but respect for those guys... talk about a lonely and dangerous job...
Firefighters battle fire on natural gas rig in Mediterranean for a second day
Thursday, August 12, 2004
By Associated Press
CAIRO, Egypt — Firefighters battled for a second day Wednesday to contain a fire burning on a rig pumping natural gas out of the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt's semiofficial news agency reported.
Oil Ministry officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Middle East News Agency (MENA) that workers were drilling holes in a leaking well to release gases to contain the fire, while firefighters are dousing the platform with sea water.
"It might take 10 days to put out the fire," MENA quoted officials as saying.
The fire broke out on the Adriatic 4 on Tuesday because of a natural gas overflow.
On Tuesday, Petrobel evacuated the entire 79-member staff of the rig, which stands about 70 kilometers (44 miles) northeast of Port Said on Egypt's northeastern coast.
The ministry is preparing to replace the gutted platform, the officials said.
Petrobel is Egypt's second largest oil producer. It is a joint venture between Egypt's General Petroleum Cooperation and Agip of Italy.
BTTT!!!!!!!
It's impossible to imagine the sound and the heat coming from a blowout like this.
BP? Egypt?......
The BP commercials on TV have a girl saying she's glad to be buying US gasoline......
Isn't BP foreign oil? Isn't BP British Petroleum? Isn't BP big oil?
They sound like an enviroRat Compamy with their current add campaign.
Hopefully they can rebuild from just under the surface of the water (i.e., not have to start from scratch on the sea floor.).
Firefighters battle fire on natural gas rig in Mediterranean for a second day
Thursday, August 12, 2004 By Associated Press
CAIRO, Egypt — Firefighters battled for a second day Wednesday to contain a fire burning on a rig pumping natural gas out of the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt's semiofficial news agency reported.
Oil Ministry officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Middle East News Agency (MENA) that workers were drilling holes in a leaking well to release gases to contain the fire, while firefighters are dousing the platform with sea water.
"It might take 10 days to put out the fire," MENA quoted officials as saying.
The fire broke out on the Adriatic 4 on Tuesday because of a natural gas overflow.
On Tuesday, Petrobel evacuated the entire 79-member staff of the rig, which stands about 70 kilometers (44 miles) northeast of Port Said on Egypt's northeastern coast.
The ministry is preparing to replace the gutted platform, the officials said.
Petrobel is Egypt's second largest oil producer. It is a joint venture between Egypt's General Petroleum Cooperation and Agip of Italy.
Source: Associated Press
Looks worse than bad. Glad everyone got out safely.
Agip is an Italian oil company and is one branch of the national Eni group.
My e-mail said BP had a partnership in this well, also.
Is it a "whistle"? I saw a "minor" blowout at Prudhoe Bay once, long ago. Don't remember the circumstances, just that we had every firehose/water tanker available all in one place.
WOWZA!! That's big one!! Glad everyone was safe!
Man, that is some fire, how deep is the well and how deep is the water, any idea?
The rig was a jackup, and, considering the length of legs sticking above the rig with the 60' air gap, the water depth is probably less than two hundred feet.
They will be dealing with a surface production assembly instead of a subsea.
Since this is a platform, however, there were probably several wells tied into this platform.
I see where you're witholding "human error" - anything with those pressures is possible.
I've been close to fires, but NOTHING like that!
Glad everyone got off OK!
Private replied you an obvious question!
Well, there might be a hint of a whistle, but it's almost drowned out by the roar.
Could have been a FNG.
I had NOTHING to do with this.
Honest!
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