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Out of Control Rig Off Louisiana Coast Spewing Natural Gas

(Photo: Vince O'Sullivan/cc/flickr)

Out of Control Rig Off Louisiana Coast Spewing Natural Gas

An out of control natural gas well off the Louisiana coast continues to release gas on Friday.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) issued an alert Thursday that the rig operator, Louisiana-based EnVen, had lost control of the well, allowing the flow of natural gas.

Personnel were evacuated, and there were no injuries, the BSEE stated. There was no sheen reported as of Thursday; however, as ThinkProgressreports, pollution from the well may not be visible because an out of control gas well releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

The rig operates in relatively shallow waters.

Efforts to stop the release of natural gas are ongoing.

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