Update** Coast Guard: No spill at Gulf oil rig explosion

**Update**

There is an oil spill...Oh wait no there isn't an oil spill?? Well what is it? Let us know what you think fellow Defenders. It's absolutely unacceptable to be having these issues in our Gulf or anywhere for that matter. Read the entire story at the AP and Herald

"GRAND ISLE, La. - The Coast Guard is backing off its earlier report that an oil sheen about a mile long was spreading following a platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast Guard Cmdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau said Thursday afternoon that crews was unable to confirm the oil sheen. The Coast Guard says platform owner Mariner Energy reported a sheen about a mile long and 100 feet wide. But the company has said in a statement that an initial flyover didn't find an oil spill.

The company that owns the rig, Houston-based Mariner Energy, did not know what caused the blast, which was reported by a helicopter flying over the area. Crew members were found floating in the water, huddled together in survival outfits called "gumby suits." Ben-lesau says the fire on the platform has been put out. All 13 crew members were rescued from the water.

The platform is in about 340 feet of water and about 100 miles south of Louisiana's Vermilion Bay. It's location is considered shallow water, much less than the approximately 5,000 feet where BP's well spewed oil and gas for three months after the April rig explosion. Responding to any oil spill in shallow water would be much easier than in deep water, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles access equipment on the sea floor. The update said the platform was producing 58,800 gallons of oil and 900,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The platform can store 4,200 gallons of oil. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Mariner Energy officials told him there were seven active production wells on the platform, and they were shut down shortly after the fire broke out."