The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port said an offshore mechanical failure caused 12,600 gallons of crude oil to spill near Port Fourchon.
An offshore oil leak near Port Fourchon spilled thousands of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf last Friday.
WWL Louisiana first learned of the incident from a viewer that claimed an oil spill near Port Fourchon was the reason the Audubon Aquarium Rescue postponed a turtle release event last Friday. A satellite photo from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration taken on that day depicted a “sheen” in the general area.
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) said in a news release that the cause of the leak was an offshore mechanical failure. Approximately 12,600 gallons of crude oil were released into the Gulf.
LOOP said on Wednesday that a “substantial portion” of the oil had been recovered from the water and isolated barrier islands after the oil port deployed 32 response vessels. The oil port will continue to conduct offshore cleanup and monitor barrier islands for wildlife and shoreline impacts.
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