US Coast Guard responds to Louisiana oil spill incident

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has deployed some of its floating assets in response to an oil discharge incident near Port Sulphur, Louisiana.

The incident began on Sunday, December 9, when a crude oil well in Rattle Snake Bayou southwest of Port Sulphur was reported to be leaking a mixture of crude oil, gas, and water.

A unified command has been established consisting of the USCG, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, and Hilcorp, the owner of the well.

The assets being utilised include five response and oil recovery vessels, four shoreline clean-up and assessment vessels, and one drone-capable vessel.

An estimated 2,384 litres of oily water have been recovered as of 21:00 local time on December 10. The cause of the incident is still under investigation.