CONFIRMED: Aerial Video Shows Second Leaking Rig Near The Deepwater Horizon

[ensho]

http://coto2.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/confirmed-aerial-video-shows-second-leaking-rig-near-the-deepwater-horizon/


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Photographer J Henry Fair says the new photos show an oil plume originating from the Ocean Saratoga rig, which is operated by Diamond Offshore. A work ship in the foreground appeared to be applying dispersants to the oil. A larger rig in the background may be discharging another leak.

This leak was reported last night by Alabama local news. NOAA also mentioned this leak in an April 30 oil slick map .

Diamond Offshore spokesman Gary Krenek tells us his company was hired by Taylor Energy to “plug and abandon” the existing well. He declined to comment on the reported leak.

The rig was damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, according to Times Picayune. However, Diamond Offshore tells us, however, it was not hired to close the well until 2009.

So how long and how much oil has leaked?

A NOAA spokeswoman said “scientists are looking into the leak.” Meanwhile, Coast Guard rep Zachary Zubricki tells us “this is not a story.”
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this is not a story

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[Hell Hath No Fury]

2. K & R

I have a feeling this sort of leaking goes on in the Gulf a whole lot more that we realize. Barbour's comment about them seeing tar balls all the time on their beaches that are a "natural" phenomenom of oil just leaking on its own from the seabed made me raise my eyebrows.

[blindpig]

3. Nationalize the energy sector

Profit grubbing sociopaths cannot be expected to be responsible for humanity's posterity.

[MineralMan]

4. I suspect that it's not an uncommon thing in the GOM.

It's only the major leaks that are publicized. Smaller ones come and go all the time, I'm pretty sure.

[Poll_Blind]

6. I think you're probably right but I'd never really given it much thought...

...until now. That's not to say it's any less horrible, just that it probably does go on much more than "we" probably expect.

PB

[MineralMan]

8. It takes a very big deal to get people's attention, it seems.

Lacking that, we tend to ignore pretty much everything that doesn't directly impact us.

[Poll_Blind]

10. I agree but in this specific case I think the fact that this stuff is happening...

...literally out in the middle of nowhere means there are very, very few people who are going to know about it and probably fewer who aren't connected to it who might report it.

If a company is dumping toxic material into a river somewhere upstream, all the various communities downstream are going to eventually notice the pollution. But out in the middle of the Gulf...I don't know what could be done. Especially at the (relatively) lower levels, in comparison to the BP/Deepwater Horizon spill.

I'm not saying it's a question without an answer, just that I don't know what that answer might be.

Scratch that, maybe I do have the beginnings of one: It starts with serious Coast Guard inspection of these vessels and the water around them paid for by the oil companies themselves. That would not be a bad start, IMO.

PB

[MineralMan]

13. Sure, that makes it easy to ignore when it happens where it

can't be seen.

[aquart]

5. WTF is the matter with the Coast Guard?

[MineralMan]

9. The Coast Guard has been repurposed. It's now under the DHS.

They aren't doing the same things they used to do.

[lonestarnot]

11. They are apparently owned, we just pay them.

[Echo In Light]

7. K/R

[FirstLight]

12. "if they're leakin' shut 'em down!"

amen!


and i thought that dispersants were not to be used anymore...?? hmmm...looks like that just came & went.

[spanone]

14. k&r

[mhatrw]

15. Lord help us

[nashville_brook]

16. kicking for visibility.

[femrap]

17. These Coast Guard dudes

must be getting nice amounts of money to say these things.

[donheld]

18. k & R

[nashville_brook]

19. kicking...

[Spheric]

20. K&R because it is a story. Assholes.

[BrklynLiberal]

21. So, should we believe our lying eyes...or BP????

:silly:

[Spheric]

22. Oh, who to believe? It's so hard to decide.

Press Release:

Diamond Offshore Confirms No Leaks of Oil from Ocean Saratoga Drilling Rig

HOUSTON, Jun 08, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (NYSE: DO) today confirmed that there have been no leaks of hydrocarbons from the semisubmersible drilling rig Ocean Saratoga. The rig is under contract to Taylor Energy Company LLC and engaged in the process of plugging and abandoning wells damaged when a Taylor Energy production platform was toppled during Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

As previously announced by Taylor Energy today, Taylor is continuing its ongoing well intervention program, using the Diamond Ocean Saratoga, with full approval from Unified Command. The well intervention program at Mississippi Canyon Block 20 is the result of the destruction of a production platform caused by a mudslide triggered by Hurricane Ivan. The platform was toppled by a subsurface mud slide triggered by storm surges with 100 foot waves.

As reported by Taylor Energy, the wells were covered by more than 100 feet of mud and sediment and only four wells were capable of production without pressure assistance. The associated surface sheen was minimal and never made landfall. As a result of deploying three subsurface containment domes and performing six successful well interventions, the initial average observed sheen volume of nine gallons per day has been substantially reduced.

Unidentified aircraft took photos this weekend that incorrectly reported an oil leak coming from the drilling rig Ocean Saratoga. At the time of these photos, Taylor Energy was actually conducting marine operations on site with a 180 foot dynamically positioned workboat for regularly scheduled subsea containment system drainage. The tanks mistakenly characterized as containing dispersants on the boat's deck, were actually tanks to store and transport the collected oil as it was pumped from the underwater storage system.

"The effort is continuing as directed by the Unified Command," said Will Pecue, President of Taylor Energy. "We have been working consistently and successfully with MMS and the U.S. Coast Guard to address the resulting environmental impacts of one of the ten most intense hurricanes ever recorded by the National Weather Service."

Diamond Offshore provides contract drilling services to the energy industry and is a leader in deepwater drilling. Additional information on Diamond Offshore and access to the Company's SEC filings is available on the Internet at www.diamondoffshore.com.

Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected by management of the Company. A discussion of the important risk factors and other considerations that could materially impact these matters as well as the Company's overall business and financial performance can be found in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and readers of this release are urged to review those reports carefully when considering these forward-looking statements. Copies of these reports are available through the Company's website www.diamondoffshore.com. Given these risk factors, investors and analysts should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.

SOURCE: Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.

Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc.
Les Van Dyke, 281-492-5370
Director, Investor Relations

http://www.diamondoffshore.com/ourCompany/news_recentNews.php

I see they don't mention what that miles long streak in the video that starts at the ship and continues past the horizon might be. I guess it is just part of their "regularly scheduled subsea containment system drainage."

So what exactly are they draining into the ocean, then? Whatever it is (it looks just exactly like an oil slick), it's a hell of a lot more than nine gallons. Or ninety gallons. Or nine hundred gallons.

:-(

[BrklynLiberal]

23. and Diamond Offshore would have no reason to deceive us..right????

:silly: :crazy:

[G_j]

24. appeared to be applying dispersants

great...

:mad: