Breaking news this morning:
Venezuela Natural-Gas Rig Sinks
Venezuela’s offshore semisubmergible Aban Pearl natural-gas platform sank early Thursday but the nearly 100 workers on it were safely evacuated, President Hugo Chavez said in a message on his Twitter account.
“To my sorrow, I want to inform that the natural gas platform Aban Pearl sunk a few moments ago,” Mr. Chavez said early Thursday morning. “The good news is that the 95 workers are safe.”
The offshore exploration rig, operated by state-run Petroleos de Venezuela, is located in the gulf of Paria on the eastern side of Venezuela, near Trinidad and Tobago. It’s part of the Campo Dragon gas field, which is being developed under the Mariscal Sucre project, previously known as the Cristobal Colon project.
The rig had recently been moved, and just one week ago Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez stood atop the Aban Pearl, broadcasting on live national television about the Campo Dragon field and its prospects for providing natural gas to the domestic market.
As the article said, Chávez (or one of his 200 Tweeter helpers) broke the news through Twitter with his BlackBerry:
Con pesar les informo q se hundió la plataforma gasifera Aban Pearl hace pocos momentos. La buena noticia es q los 95 trabajadores a salvo..
(“To my sorrow, I want to inform that the natural gas platform Aban Pearl sunk a few moments ago. The good news is that the 95 workers are safe.“)
PDVSA insists there is no harm to the environment.
