NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard is responding to an oil sheen in Breton Sound, Block 37, Louisiana, Monday.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report from the National Response Center at 11:20 a.m. Sunday, of a 10 mile by 3 mile oil sheen northeast of Breton Island.
The source of the spill was determined to be 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.
TPIC has assumed control of the spill as the responsible party contracted.
OMI Environmental Solutions, American Pollution Control Corporation, and Clean Gulf Associates are the Oil Spill Response Organizations to clean up the spill.
A construction crew and source control engineers will be on-site at approximately 4 p.m. on Monday, to secure the well and remove the potential for further discharge.
Seven total 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 at this time.
Five thousand feet of boom is deployed on the northwest corner and south of Breton Island to mitigate any potential impacts to the shoreline and wildlife in the area and to contain and prevent the spread of the discharge.
There are no reports of impacted wildlife at this time.
Involved in the response are:
- Coast Guard Sector New Orleans
- Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
- Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
- Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
- Texas Petroleum Investment Company
The cause of the damage to the wellhead is unconfirmed and is currently under investigation.
