The Vermilion Block 380 A Platform is a fixed offshore platform located in of water approximately off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. The platform was originally installed as an oil and gas drilling and production platform in early 1980.

Mariner Energy The platform was owned by Mariner Energy, Inc., an oil and gas exploration company based in One Briar Lake Plaza in Westchase, Houston, Texas."Contact ." Mariner Energy. Retrieved on June 3, 2010."SECT1-key.gif ." Westchase. Retrieved on February 5, 2009. In 2010, Apache Corporation bought Mariner Energy for $2.7 billion.Kahn, Chris. "Apache to buy Mariner Energy for $2.7 billion ." Associated Press at BusinessWeek. April 15, 2010. Retrieved on June 3, 2010. The acquisition was completed on November 10, 2010.Apache Corporation. Apache Completes Merger With Mariner Energy 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2010-12-16.

Design As viewed from the surface, the platform appears to be of a traditional four-pile design. However, the design incorporates four exterior skirt piles in order to provide additional stability at the base. These skirt piles do not extend all of the way from the mudline to the water surface. The eight piles, four main and four skirt, that secure the platform to the seafloor are in diameter and extend more than below the mudline.

It was producing approximately of natural gas and of oil per day.September 2 oil rig explosion, CNN

Location The platform was located at the Vermilion Block 38 in the Gulf of Mexico about south of Vermilion Bay.

Explosion The rig exploded and caught on fire on September 2, 2010.Rescue efforts under way after oil rig explosion in Gulf. CNN.com The platform was off-line for maintenance at the time the incident occurred. The flames from the explosion could be seen off the Louisiana coast.New oil rig explosion in Gulf of Mexico WFRV Thirteen workers were occupying the platform at the time of the explosion. All of the workers were rescued from the ocean, with one person sustaining injuries.Coast Guard reporting rig incident south of Vermilion Bay Oil Rig Reportedly Explodes Off Louisiana Coast. FoxNews.comAssociated Press/Houston Chronicle: 13 rescued after explosion in the Gulf. (Retrieved September 2, 2010.) The rescue vessel Crystal Clear rescued the crew members, all of whom wore type I life jackets at the time of rescue. All went to a hospital in Houma, Louisiana.

See also Deepwater Horizon

References

External links Gulf platform explodes in flames, 13 rescued, USA Today