More Than 150 Personnel Responding to Oil and Gas Leak in Coastal Louisiana

A significant oil and natural gas release in coastal Louisiana has triggered a coordinated emergency response led by the Unified Command, which includes the U.S. Coast Guard, Spectrum OpCo (the well operator), and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office (LOSCO).

The spill was first reported on April 26 in a marshland near a well operated by the Garden Island Bay Production Facility in Plaquemines Parish, southeast of New Orleans.

Response Efforts Underway

More than 150 personnel have been deployed to the site to manage containment and recovery operations. Specialized equipment in use includes six MARCO skimmers, four drum skimmers, and a range of recovery and storage tools designed to handle oil and gas spills in sensitive coastal environments.

To help limit the spread of the spill, responders have deployed 7,800 feet of 18-inch containment boom, with an additional 2,000 feet on the way and 6,400 feet available as needed. Crews have also installed 382 bales of absorbent boom to shield nearby islands from contamination.

So far, Oil Spill Removal Organizations have recovered approximately 9,492 gallons of oily liquid.

Monitoring and Environmental Impact

Aerial surveillance is being conducted regularly using drones and helicopters to monitor the affected area. Air quality monitoring has not indicated any immediate health or environmental concerns, and no impacts to wildlife have been reported at this time.

Cause and Source Control

The precise volume of the release and the rate of flow remain unknown. A well control contractor is on-site, working to intervene at the source and stop further discharge. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

Photo credit: USCG. All rights reserved.