Coast Guard Investigates Vessel Collision Causing Louisiana Oil Spill

At around 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the dredge barge Captain Buford Berry which was being pushed by the tug vessel Pere Ana C allided with a wellhead in the Barataria Waterway while en route to Berwick Bay.  The well spewed a 100-foot plume of oil up into the air.  The wellhead which was struck is classified as “orphaned” and the last known owner was CYDECO Corporation of Houston, Texas which is now defunct.  The ruptured wellhead is said to be producing a mixture of oil, natural gas and water into Barataria Bay.  An administrative order was issued to CYDECO to stop the well from discharging.

Marine traffic has been restricted by a two-foot safety zone around the wellhead to prevent possible ignition of the discharged chemicals.

While the leak is not classified as large, the exact amount of oil and gas being spilled into the water is unknown.  This is yet another blow to Jefferson Parish as they were just able to get this area cleaned up from the BP Oil Spill a week ago.  Efforts are underway to cap the Louisiana oil leak.