The rescue of all 13 crewmembers working on a Mariner Energy rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday demonstrates the importance of extensive safety training, the US Coast Guard has claimed.

Following the incident, which comes less than four months after the Deepwater Horizon explosion which caused the largest oil spill in US history, Coast Guard spokesperson Chief Petty Officer John Edwards praised the "presence of mind" demonstrated by the crewmembers.

Commenting on their decision to put on their immersion suits before entering the water, Mr Edwards said: "It speaks volumes to safety training and the importance of it because beyond getting off the rig there's all the hazards of the water such as hypothermia and things of that nature."

There has been intense interest in operational safety and emergency training in the US and around the world since the Deepwater Horizon spill and Bloomberg reports that the Mariner explosion may cause the offshore drilling moratorium imposed since April to be extended further.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development