UPDATE 4: Coast Guard responds to wellhead allision

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Coast Guard continues to work with the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office LOSCO, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources LDNR, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality LDEQ, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries LAWLF, the Louisiana State Police LSP, and Jefferson Parish Emergency Services to secure the wellhead and minimize environmental damage resulting from an allision between a tow vessel and a wellhead in the Barataria Waterway, which occurred at approximately 1 a.m., Tuesday. The Unified Command Post, established at U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, is reporting that the wellhead continues to emanate a mixture of oil and natural gas into Barataria Bay.

Oil containment and clean-up operations are on going as 48,800 feet of containment boom and 11,000 feet of sorbent boom are deployed to minimize the environmental impact. Additionally, 193 personnel, 2 helicopters, and a combination of 31 skimmers, boats and barges are responding to the incident. Oil skimming and recovery operations are ongoing in Mud Lake. Approximately 3 barrels, or 144 gallons of oily-water mix, has been recovered.

Preparation to mobilize assets needed to secure the well are continuing and include the following:

- The required equipment for the firefighting barge has been properly secured to the barge and tested;

- The Chevron and BP pipelines in the area have been marked to allow the responders to visually see their locations and ensure that no further damage is done from the temporary spuds that are used to anchor the support vessels;

- A hydrographic survey is scheduled to be completed early Saturday which will ensure there is sufficient water depth for the response vessels;

- A replacement crane barge was ordered and arrived Friday in Lafitte, La.

Wild Well Control Inc. has been designated as the prime contractor to secure the leaking wellhead.

The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund has been enacted to provide monetary support for the clean up and recovery operations.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

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