Venice, LA- The U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Olreans is responding toan oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from a well head located approximately 60 miles south of Venice, Louisiana.
The spill of crude oil was discovered around 8:00 a.m this morning andresulted in a two mile by eight mile heavy sheen. It is believed that the spill occured when an unidentified vessel struck a discharge pipeline coming from the well owned by Boise de Arc of Houston, TX. The source of the spill was secured at 12:45 p.m. and it is believed that no additional oil is being discharged.
Clean up efforts continue. The Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, along with O’Briens Oil Pollution Services, Inc., and Clean Gulf Associates, acting on behalf of Boise de Arc, are working to mitigate environmental impacts and prevent the oil from reaching shore. As of 3 p.m. today the spill was located approximately 8 miles from the east bank ofPlaquemines Parish.
An investigation into the exact cause of the spill is underway.
