The US Coast Guard continues to respond to a well discharging a mixture of crude oil, gas, and water near Port Sulphur, Louisiana. The US Coast Guard, Hilcorp Energy Co. and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office have established a Unified Command to properly respond to the situation.
On Sunday, December 9, the crude oil well which is rated to produce 5,476 gallons of oil per day, started to leak. The US Coast Guard responded to the oil discharge, immediately, to contain and clean up the oil spill.
Since Sunday, when the oil discharge took place, approximately 11,000 feet of hard boom has been deployed. Approximately 4,830 gallons of oily water mixture have been recovered so far, according to USCG. There are 116 oil spill response personnel on scene conducting containment and clean-up operations.
Assets being utilized include:
- Ten response vessels
- Five work boats
- Ten marco skimming vessels
- Two drum skimmers
- Ten airboats
- Three drone packages.
The Coast Guard and Hilcorp are both conducting aerial assessments of the area. Source control crews have controlled the leak and continue to work to repair the well in attempt to prevent further discharging. Also involved in the response are the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Department, Plaquemines Office of Environmental Management, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.
The cause of the incident is still unknown and it is investigated by the USCG.
