U.S. Coast Guard Responds to Three Spills
The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to an oil sheen in Breton Sound, Block 37, Louisiana. It is just one of three spill responses underway on Monday.
The three-mile by 10-mile sheen originated from a damaged and inactive wellhead owned by Texas Petroleum Investment Company (TPIC). Currently, the well is intermittently discharging a mixture of oil, water and mud. The cause of the damage to the wellhead is unconfirmed and is currently under investigation.
TPIC has assumed control of the spill as the responsible party contracted. OMI Environmental Solutions, American Pollution Control Corporation and Clean Gulf Associates are cleaning up the spill. Seven response boats from OMI Environmental Solutions and Clean Gulf Associates are on-scene conducting containment and recovery operations, with 84 gallons of oily water mixture reportedly recovered so far.
5,000 feet of boom has been deployed on the northwest corner and south of Breton Island. So far, there are no reports of impacted wildlife.
Sheen in Virginia
Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads pollution responders are investigating a sheen that was reported on Monday, near Outlook Beach in Hampton, Virginia.
"The spilled material is most likely a petroleum product, likely oil or fuel from with an unidentified source," said Lt Mitchell Latta, Chief of the Incident Management Division from Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads. "We are working closely with state and local representatives on the response and believe this is not an on-going spill."
The source and amount of the spill are unknown. The Coast Guard has taken a sample of the product, investigated the spill by helicopter and is searching for the source of the product along with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
There has been no observable impact to wildlife.
Oil Discharge in Pass A Loutre Wildlife Management Area, Louisiana
The Coast Guard is responding to a crude oil discharge in Pass A Loutre Wildlife Management Area, Louisiana, where crude oil is leaking from a storage tank owned by Whitney Oil and Gas.
The maximum potential for the spill was estimated to be 2,520 gallons, but the discharge was contained before all the contents of the tank entered the water.
Currently, there is three hundred feet of containment boom, one oil skimmer and two oil spill response boats on scene. OMI Environmental Solutions has been contracted as the Oil Spill Response Organization to clean up the spill.
There have been no reports of impacts to wildlife. The cause of the incident is under investigation.