BSEE is responding today to a report from offshore oil and gas operator Apache Corporation of an underground flow of natural gas at an exploratory well being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 50 miles east of Venice, LA.
There is no detection of gas at the seafloor or pollution at the location.
The rig was drilling in 218 feet water depth with a blowout preventer located on the rig. When the initial well control event occurred, Apache successfully activated the blowout preventer to prevent gas from flowing to the surface. The underground flow was detected through additional testing.
Non-essential personnel have been removed from the drilling rig. BSEE is overseeing Apache’s well control efforts. As a contingency, BSEE has directed Apache to make preparations to have an additional drilling rig onsite.
[mappress] Press Release, February 18, 2013