Lightning Strikes Discoverer Enterprise, Halting BP Containment Cap Operation

2 years ago

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As if there weren't enough complications with the Gulf oil spill containment efforts, this morning lightning struck the Discoverer Enterprise, the ship collecting the oil from the leaking well, and set it on fire, BP reported today.

The fire was put out, but BP has suspended its oil collection operation as a precaution. The company said that it expects to start pumping oil to the ship again later today, as soon as operational and safety inspections are complete.

Approximately 15,000 barrels of oil have been captured in the last 24 hours.

The Discoverer Enterprise is an 835-foot drillship that is the center of the containment operations right now. The leaking oil collected by the containment cap at the well head is pumped 5,000 feet up to the ship at the ocean's surface, where it is processed and offloaded to other boats.

The fire began at approximately 9:30 a.m. CDT this morning on the oil ship's derrick, which can be seen in the photo below.

Filed Under: Oil Spill, Surge Desk

Tagged: bp oil spill, containment cap, discoverer enterprise, gulf oil spill, gulf oil spill update, lightning strikes boat, oil spill

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ettu

Today, Obama provided something of a timeline for an end to the oil leak in the Gulf, and also told us that BP will set aside $20 billion in funds to be used to cover damage claims, and cleanup costs, to be administered by a 3 panel committee. I did not vote for Obama, and I still would not vote for him today, but give credit where credit is due. He has finally had something to say that gives people a little sense that headway is being made.

It is not Obamas' fault he is in a position he was ill-equipped to handle. We were told that the Office of the Presidency was not an internship, not a training ground. I already knew that, didn't have to be told. It is the fault of the voters who put him there, that we are now in a position of having a President who is on the "learn as you go" track. Unfortunately, it is a very bad time in our history for this experiment to be taking place.

June 16 2010 at 2:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply