Another offshore fiasco:
A Venezuelan natural gas exploration rig sank in the Caribbean Sea early Thursday, but all 95 workers were evacuated safely and there was no leakage, the government said.
Proving that offshore drilling is not an easy prospect, for anybody, not just the BP's of the world.
OPEC member Venezuela has struggled to attract investment to develop its vast natural gas reserves, with offshore projects developing slowly and without any production so far.
I am wondering now whether anybody has really examined the safety record of projects in the Gulf and the Caribbean. Maybe its time we looked at the true cost of offshore drilling.
(Oil Minister) Ramirez said the rig keeled over in the night before finally sinking at about 2 a.m. The region is known for strong waves, a state television reporter said.
"The safety valves activated along with an additional security mechanism, which allows us to affirm that we have stabilized the well and there is no risk of any kind of gas leak," Ramirez said.
It was too early to determine the cause, he added.
Not a really a diary, I know, but I thought this was a news item that the dKos community should be aware of.