November 16 (RIA Novosti) An explosion on an oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico killed two workers and injured several others Friday, the US Coast Guard said.
The explosion on a platform owned by Texas-based Black Elk Energy happened around 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) off the coast of Louisiana , US Coast Guard spokesman Jordan St. John told RIA Novosti.
The blast came just a day after British multinational oil giant accepted criminal liability for its disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico two years ago and agreed to pay a $4 billion penalty.
The explosion Friday appears to have occurred while welding work was being done on the platform in preparation for its opening, Jordan St. John said.
Two people who were aboard the platform at the time of the explosion were missing, US media reports said.
The rig was not operational at the time of the blast, and there was no “visible pollution” near the scene, St. John said. He added, however, that the water in the area of the platform displayed a “minor sheen.”
There were 28 people aboard the platform the time of the blast, St. John said. Two people were confirmed dead, while eight others received medical treatment for injuries sustained in the accident, he added.
The spokesman did not have any information about the severity or nature of the injuries of those hurt in the explosion.
Assessment work is currently underway in the area to determine whether any pollution has resulted from the accident and whether everyone aboard the platform is accounted for, St. John said.
Black Elk could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.
