Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: June 28, 2008

Contact: Public Affairs Officer
(985) 397-3308
 

UPDATE 2 COAST GUARD RESPONDS TO  TWO OIL SHEENS IN GRAND ISLE

MORGAN CITY, La. - The Coast Guard is now investigating the cause of two oil sheens reported to be in the vicinity of Grand Isle, La., 26 June 2008.

The first oil sheen was reported on Thursday approximately 6 miles off the coast of Grand Isle.  The oil sheen is not expected to impact the beach in Grand Isle.  The Coast Guard received a second report of an oil sheen that minimally impacted approximately 3 miles of the beach in Grand Isle on Friday. 

Coast Guard Marine Safety Units in Houma and Morgan City, La., along with the Environment, Safety and Health Company are working together to clean up the oil on the affected area.

The 3-mile span of the beach will remain closed while the clean up operations are conducted.  The Grand Isle Police Department will monitor the area.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of both oil sheens.

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U.S. Coast Guard - Saving lives since 1790

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Feb. 29, 2008
Contact:  Public Affairs Office           (985) 380-5341

COAST GUARD CONDUCTS BLOOD DRIVE

MORGAN CITY, La - U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Morgan City members recently donated blood in support of United Blood Services. 

Various Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit employees donated a total of seven pints of blood. This selfless act supports one of the Coast Guard's primary missions of Lifesaving and reflects MSU Morgan City's dedication to that end. Each pint of blood can actually save up to three lives, which means 21 lives potentially could be impacted from this recent blood drive. 

There is a great sense of satisfaction knowing that each donation will potentially save a life and MSU Morgan City employees look forward to this opportunity.  "There's a bit of satisfaction in knowing that what takes less than a half-hour of my time could potentially make a life-times difference to someone else," said a Coast Guard officer, proudly sporting her bandaged arm.  "It's my battle wound," she quips.

Picture below: Petty Officer Jeffrey Tagert proudly donated blood.

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U.S. Coast Guard - Saving lives since 1790

Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: June 11, 2007 (009-07)

Contact: Public Affairs Officer,
Marine Safety Unit Morgan City, LA(985) 380-5320

UNCONTROLLED WELLHEAD RELEASE

Morgan City, LA - On 11 June 07 the National Response Center received a report of a uncontrolled wellhead release occurring at approximately 10:30 a.m., in a remote, dead-end canal off of Freshwater Bayou or approximately 4 miles due East of the Freshwater Bayou Locks, near Freshwater City, LA.

No injuries have been confirmed and although the source of the spill has not been secured, primary and secondary containment boom is in place and the affected canal has been isolated. The exact amount or rate of discharge is yet to be determined, however, it is estimated that the maximum discharge amount is 1,000 barrels or 42,000 gallons of oil-based drilling mud and salt water.  

Numerous response personnel and their accompanying assets are on-scene or en route, including the owner-operator, Nexen Petroleum, 12790 Merrit Hwy, Suite 800, Dallas, TX, the spill contractor and spill management teams, and several state and federal agencies, including the U. S. Coast Guard.

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Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Dec. 29, 2006

Contact:  Lt. Cmdr. A. Sheffield
(985) 380-5340

The following photography hand-out is provided to you free of charge to duplicate and distribute if you desire.
Please credit as a "U.S. Coast Guard photograph" and notify this office if you plan to publish it.

GULF OF MEXICO - The liftboat Juan is listing 90 degrees Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006, about 70 miles south of Gibson, La.  The vessel is holding in position, approximately 5,500 feet from the nearest pipeline, and approximately 10-20 feet of the port side bow is visible above the water.  U.S. Coast Guard photograph

Click the above image to obtain a high-resolution version.

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Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Dec. 28, 2006

Contact:  Lt. Cmdr. A. Sheffield
(985) 380-5340

COAST GUARD RESPONDS TO LIFTBOAT INCIDENT

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard is monitoring a liftboat that is listing to one side today about 70 miles south of Gibson, La.

A liftboat is a self-elevating, self-propelled boat used for various tasks such as crane operations, pipe laying and construction.

The Coast Guard was notified at about 2:15 a.m. today that the liftboat Juan, owned and operated by Montco Offshore Inc. in Galliano, La., was listing to its starboard (right) side during jack-up procedures.  All six crewmember were safely evacuated from the boat.

Initially, the boat was listing at 10 degrees, and the boat is currently listing 45 degrees.

No pollution has been reported, and personnel from Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Morgan City, La., are continuing to monitor the situation and will investigate the cause of the incident.

The boat is located on the Outer Continental Shelf in Ship Shoal Block 207, and an overflight is scheduled Friday to better assess and monitor the situation.

GULF OF MEXICO - The liftboat Juan tilts to its starboard side Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006, about 70 miles south of Gibson, La.

The Coast Guard is monitoring the situation, and all personnel aboard the boat were safely evacuated.

U.S. Coast Guard photograph

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Office of External Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard

Date: Aug. 2, 2006
Contact:  Public Affairs Officer
(985) 380-5340

COAST GUARD MARINE SAFETY UNIT OBSERVES SERVICES' 216TH BIRTHDAY 

August 4th is celebrated as Coast Guard Day to honor the establishment on that day in 1790 of the Revenue Cutter Service, forebear of today's Coast Guard, by the Treasury Department. On that date, Congress, guided by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, authorized the building of a fleet of ten cutters, whose responsibility would be the enforcement of the first tariff laws enacted by Congress under the Constitution.

The Coast Guard has been continuously at sea since its inception, although the name Coast Guard did not come about until 1915 when the Revenue Cutter Service was merged with the Lifesaving Service. The Lighthouse Service joined the Coast Guard in 1939, followed in 1946 by the Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection. In 1967, after 177 years in the Treasury Department, the Coast Guard was transferred to the Department of Transportation. In 2003, the Coast Guard merged with 21 other federal agencies into the newly formed Department of Homeland Security.

As one of the oldest organizations of the federal government and, until the Navy Department was established in 1798, the Coast Guard served as the nation's only armed force afloat. The Coast Guard has continued to protect the nation throughout its long history and has served proudly in every one of the nation's conflicts. The Coast Guard provides unique benefits to the nation because of its distinctive blend of military, humanitarian, and civilian law-enforcement capabilities.

Although "Coast Guard Day" is primarily an internal activity for active duty Coast Guard personnel, civilian members, reservists, retirees, auxiliarists, and dependents, it does have a significant share of interest outside the Service.

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