As we mark the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, another tragic event just occurred off the shore of Louisiana – an oil rig owned by Mariner Energy exploded earlier today in the Gulf of Mexico several hundred miles west of the site of BP’s infamous Deepwater Horizon disaster.

The people of Louisiana have had more than their share of tragedy. For the families of the 13 people on the rig (thankfully, all accounted for based on news reports), this raises questions about worker safety that are tailor-made for union organizing.

So why does an explosion at a rig owned by Mariner Energy spell trouble for BP, which has spent nearly $100MM on advertising in an effort to repair its reputation since the explosion?

It’s simple – BP has become the face and acronym of BIG PETROLEUM.

Today’s explosion creates a legitimate argument for President Obama’s drilling moratorium and increased discussion of regulation … but who really cares about Mariner Energy besides The Apache Corp., its owner? If you read John Grisham’s novels you know that it is the big-name, big-money entity that gets targeted.

Every news story will rehash the BP events. Every call for regulation and investigation will cost them. And every energy company will cite BP for decreases in sector valuation.

Conventional public relations wisdom says today’s event will get BP out of the news and off the hot seat. But I’m betting against the house on that one.

cwinters Crisis Communications Apache Corp., BP, Hurricane Katrina, John Grisham, Mariner Energy, President Obama