Coast Guard responds to oil spill near Venice, Louisiana

News Release

March 21, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008

Coast Guard responds to oil spill near Venice, Louisiana 

 

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NEW ORLEANS -- The Coast Guard is responding to a natural gas and crude oil discharge from an abandoned wellhead owned by Hilcorp Energy near mile marker 10 on the Lower Mississippi River, southwest of Venice, Louisiana, Tuesday.

The National Response Center received a report of the spill at approximately 1:14 p.m. March 20.

Coast Guard members from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Incident Management Division were notified at approximately 1:30 p.m. March 20 about the discharge from a National Response Center report.

Coast Guard members arrived on scene at approximately 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and reported an estimated 840 gallons of crude oil in the water.

Hilcorp Energy reported that the source of oil was secured at approximately 9:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Hilcorp Energy has contracted CUDD Well Control, OMI Environmental Solutions, and Clean Gulf Associates to conduct response operations.

Boom, sorbent material, and skimming vessels are being used to reduce the spread of oil and collect oil from the water’s surface.

The Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct an overflight of the area March 22 to assess the situation.

Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Incident Management Division will oversee all response operations.

There are no reports of affected wildlife.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

 

-USCG-