[Tarpon]

Drilling rig control rooms don't just blow up, do they ... the oil and gas is usually kept below water, so they are far from the people. Crew quarters are also on the rig so safety must be paramount.

Here is what the giant floating Deepwater Horizon rig looked like in the past, it can go up and down in the water with ballasting. it's a giant ship for all practical purposes, and yes they can go through hurricanes.

I read a BP news report that said the blowout preventor was damaged when the rig wreck hit the Gulf floor. This was back when they were doing underwater surveys. They said pipelines were ruptured by the wreck which is where the leaks were.

A whole lot of dots needs connecting here. We need a whole lot more data because the timing of all this, and Obama relaxing offshore drilling, is just too coincidental.

And that coal mine explosion ...

Are we seeing the equivalent of the Reichstag's fire only targeted at energy to get the crap and tax passed?

Hey just asking, just asking ... But wouldn't it be prudent to explore the terror angle?

[FReepaholic]

...Are we seeing the equivalent of the Reichstag's fire only targeted at energy to get the crap and tax passed?...

Could be.

Remember the "underwear" bomber? Nobody wanted full body scanners prior to that event yet after the so-called bomb attempt everybody was screaming for them.

[TexasCajun]

They said pipelines were ruptured by the wreck which is where the leaks were.

Thackney, what have your learned? Is the oil from the well or is the oil from a pipeline damanged by the huge rig sinking?

It would seem to be the well or both since they are bringing in another rig to drill a relieve well. ..that is still the plan, huh?

[thackney]

The rig wreck landed quite a distance from the wellhead. The coast guard web site has pictures, video and drawings of the location of all as well as video of using the BOP control panel afterwards.