Cleanup efforts are underway after a sizable oil spill was reported in the Gulf of Mexico, following a Category 4 storm that rampaged across the United States.rnSatellite images appear to show that the ongoing oil spill is coming from a source about two miles (3km) south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.
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The spill consists of a 4-mile black sheen and a 10-mile rainbow sheen, Sam Jones, head of the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, said on Saturday.
The US Coast Guard said in a statement that the leak was believed to be coming from an undersea pipeline owned by Houston-based Talos Energy. A spokesman for the energy firm said it had hired Clean Gulf Associates, a non-profit oil-spill response organization, to help with cleanup efforts even though the company did not think it was responsible for the spill.
Talos has also dispatched a team of divers to locate the source of the spill.
After the inspection Talos Energy said it was not responsible for the leak. Lt. John Edwards of the U.S. Coast Guard said the agency had been notified of the divers’ findings. He said the original source of the discharge was unknown.
"Talos Energy continues to lead the response to a non-Talos release of oil in the Bay Marchand, Block 5 area, off the coast of Port Fourchon, Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico," the company said.
"The company was informed of a potential release observed in the vicinity on Tuesday, August 31st by Clean Gulf Associates.
"Talos was notified as the previous lessee of the block, however the company ceased production there in 2017, all company wells were properly isolated from the producing reservoir, and all Talos pipeline infrastructure was removed by 2019. The source of the release is not proximate to any of the plugged wells, nor to the former locations of Talos subsea infrastructure.
"Talos initiated response efforts immediately upon notification and vessels began to arrive on location on Wednesday, September 1st.
"Two 95-foot response vessels remain on location to conduct oil recovery operations with boom and skimmers. The rate of the release appears to have decreased substantially over the last 48 hours and no black oil has been observed over the last 24 hours. To date, no impacts to shoreline or wildlife have been observed.
"A lift boat equipped with a dive spread arrived on location at approximately 4:00 pm Saturday and divers were deployed Sunday morning to begin the search for potential sources of the release.
"Both physical inspection and subsea sonar scans have confirmed the absence of Talos-owned pipeline infrastructure in the area and have identified a non-Talos owned 12†pipeline displaced from its original trench location, which appears to be bent and open ended. Additionally, two non-Talos owned 4†lines have been identified in the vicinity that are open ended and appear to be previously abandoned.
"Talos is working to identify the owners of the lines and with the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and federal agencies to ensure a safe, coordinated, and successful response. The company’s top priorities are the safety of all personnel and the protection of the public and environment." ■