Oil price over $147 for the first time-now above $80

[vbhoutex]

The price of gas has been rising here for quite a few weeks. The low end here is $2.65/gal today. It was $2.54 last week.

[MGC]

Cheapest I've seen here on the Miss coast is 2.65. Easy 3.00 by summer....MGC

[Tireman4]

Could this be another overpriced bubble? Hummm

[gtalum]

Barring a double-dip in the recession, I don't see oil dropping significantly anytime soon. It's a simple matter of flat supply and increasing demand.

[angelwing]

Cheapest I seen in NJ: $2.59
Cheapest in SE PA: 2.79

Last week it was $2.75 in PA

[CajunMama]

The price we really pay for oil :

12 oil rig workers still missing after explosion, Coast Guard says

Twelve workers on an oil drilling rig that exploded and caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico late Tuesday are still missing today, the Coast Guard said.

Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser had said that he had received reports that the missing workers were found about 11 a.m., and it was noted that the Coast Guard could not verify his report. About 12:30 p.m., the Coast Guard's public affairs office said it was in constant contact with searchers in the field and had not received reports that the workers were found.

Early this afternoon, Lt. Cmdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau said the search for the missing workers is still on.

Officials had said earlier that 11 workers were missing, but Ben-Iesau said the number is 12. She said as many as 15 workers have been treated at local hospitals. Officials had earlier said seven had been critically injured in the blast.

"This is a terrible tragedy that has shocked and saddened the people of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast," U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-La., said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families whose loved ones are injured or missing...

"I have spoken to senior officials with BP and the Coast Guard who have assured me that all available resources are being dedicated to locate workers who are missing, care for the injured, and mitigate the incident's impact on the environment. Our first priority must be to account for the missing workers and to get the fire and rig under control to prevent further injury and damage."

Click here to see a National Weather Service satellite image showing the smoke from the burning oil rig.

Crew members' relatives can reach an information hotline established by Transocean at 832.587.8554

Stay with nola.com for more information on this story.

This report was compiled by staff writers Ramon Antonio Vargas, Dennis Persica and Paul Rioux.

Edit to add: One of the missing works for the same mud company as my brother and nephew. That could have been one of them easily had the scheduling been different.

[Stephanie]

It's just as dangerous as mining. I'm glad that luck was on your brother and nephew's side.

[CajunMama]

I have a feeling that the missing crew were killed in the explosion. It's just my feeling and i do hope i'm wrong and they are found alive and unharmed. Also, the first lawsuit has already been filed.

Transocean rig sinks, says Coast Guard

At 10:20 a.m. the Transocean Deepwater Horizon rig sank, according to a Coast Guard spokesman.

The vessel, which has been burning since about 10 p.m. Tuesday night was completely submerged, said the spokesman but the fire continued to burn.

The rig, located about 41 miles south of the mouth of Mississippi, is owned by Transcoean but leased by BP.

Transocean spokesman Guy Cantwell said the company is trying to confirm that report.

Some other media outlets have called and are being told by the Coast Guard they are not confirming the report. But Senior Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry told me they were just "dotting the i's and crossing the t's" before putting out a confirmation.

http://blogs.chron.com/newswatchenergy/archives/2010/04/transocean_rig_1.html

[Stephanie]

I fear that you are probably right Kathy. If they haven't seen them in another raft by this time, with the fury of the fire and now it's sinking, I don't know how anyone could've survived. Miracles do happen, of course.