Report: Unsafe Welding Led to Fatal Gulf Accident
A report for a Texas-based company says a deadly 2012 explosion on its Gulf of Mexico oil platform off the Louisiana coast happened when workers for a subcontractor used unsafe welding practices.
The report released on Aug. 21 was done by ABSG Consulting for Black Elk Energy.
ABSG says Grand Isle Shipyard Inc. was under contract for construction work on the platform when the blast happened Nov. 16. ABSG says Grand Isle had committed not to use subcontractors on Black Elk projects. However, the report says, workers doing the welding were employees of a subcontractor.
Grand Isle officials did not immediately return a call for comment.
The report comes on the same day two workers injured in the accident filed a federal suit against Black Elk.
Three workers died in the accident.