Photo: U.S. Coast Guard
Update: The platform fire continues to burn Friday in the Gulf of Mexico not far from the Louisiana coast. The Coast Guard has updated that the maximum potential release has been reduced from 4,000 barrels to 130 barrels. Response vessels are on scene with additional vessels en route as fire teams are preparing to employ measures to extinguish the fire.
Spill response equipment and personnel, including boom and skimmers are en route to help protect the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, the Coast Guard said.
Previous: The U.S. Coast Guard and response vessels are responding to a platform fire and oil sheen near Breton Island in the shallow waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 2:50 a.m. Friday from the offshore supply vessel MV Miss Katherine reporting a fire on board an oil production platform in Breton Sound Block 21, located off the coast of Venice, Louisiana near the mouth of the Mississippi River.
All 28 people aboard the platform were evacuated to the OSV and taken to Venice, Louisiana, according to the Coast Guard. No injuries were reported.
The well was shut in and production has ceased, the Coast Guard said, adding that the platform has an estimated 4,000 barrels of crude oil on board in storage tanks.
The USCG has conducted an over flight and observed a 1.4 nautical mile rainbow sheen drifting southwest of the platform.
An incident command post has been established with the responsible party and state/local stakeholders.
Initial response vessels are on scene with additional vessels en route.
A small boat crew from Coast Guard Station Venice is on scene, as well as an HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft crew from Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama.
The owner of the platform is reported to be Texas Petroleum Investment Co., based in Houston.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
Check back for updates…
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