Coast Guard: Tug, Wellhead Collision under Investigation
OAKHURST, N.J. (DTN) --- The U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release that it
continues to investigate the cause of a collision between a dredge vessel and a
wellhead in the Barataria Waterway which occurred at approximately 1:00 AM
Tuesday.
The dredge barge Captain Bufurd Berry, which was being pushed by the tug
vessel Pere Ana C, collided with the wellhead while transiting the Barataria
Waterway in southeastern Louisiana. The barge was en route to the company's
facility in Berwick Bay when the incident occurred.
A Unified Command Post has been established at the U.S. Coast Guard Sector
New Orleans. Capt. John Arenstam is the U.S. Coast Guard Federal On-Scene
Coordinator and Roland Guidry, of the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office,
is the state on-scene coordinator. Other participating agencies working in
close coordination with the state and federal coordinators include Louisiana
Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality,
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Jefferson Parish Sheriff's
Office.
The wellhead is classified as orphaned by LDNR, and it was determined that
the last owner on record was CEDYCO. The wellhead is emanating a mixture of
oil, natural gas and water into the Barataria Bay. Under authority provided by
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Arenstam issued an administrative
order to CEDYCO directing them to stop the well from discharging oil and gas.
According to the release, the sheen covers more than six square miles. Wild
Well Control has been hired to secure the source at the wellhead and
Environmental Safety and Health has been contracted for containment and cleanup.
The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund has been enacted to provide monetary
support for any clean-up operations. Approximately 10,500 feet of containment
boom and 3,000 feet of sorbent boom have been deployed. Additionally, over 150
response personnel and 31 boats have responded to the incident.
"Our priorities remain securing the source and containing and recovering the
oil," said Arenstam. "We are concerned about the safety of personnel,
transiting vessels and the environment. Therefore, marine traffic has been
restricted by a two-mile safety zone established around the wellhead. This was
put into place to prevent a possible ignition of the gas."
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