Response companies are cleaning up marine-related oil spills in two US states, with incidents in Louisiana and Oregon polluting environments
In Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, Environmental Safety & Health Consulting Services was hired to contain and remove an oil spill from a collapsed tank platform, which occurred 8 August following structural failure to a platform holding an oil tank at Hilcorp’s Caillou Island facility.
US Coast Guard (USCG)’s marine safety unit in Houma received the initial notification from the National Response Center stating the platform collapsed causing a tank to fall into the water and spill its stored oil.
The response company deployed 1,370 m of containment boom, three skimming vessels and five response vessels.
Hilcorp estimates around 53,000 litres of crude oil entered the water of Terrebonne Bay and has provided a claims line.
USCG said an investigation has started into the cause of the incident.
In Astoria, Oregon, USCG has concluded operations to remove pollution threats from sunken passenger vessel Tourist No 2 on the Columbia River, near the Pacific Ocean.
Global Diving and Salvage recovered around 2,000 litres of diesel from this vessel with sorbents and active pumping.
“Despite extensive damage to the starboard side of the vessel, Global Diving and Salvage was able to successfully mitigate a significant threat to the environment and Columbia River as a whole,” said USCG Columbia River sector’s incident management chief Lt Cmdr Jarrod Pomajzl. He said all parties involved adapted to the response challenges to remove oil pollution and other hazards.
Next, the sunken ferry will be salvaged, and final disposition will be co-ordinated through the Oregon Department of State lands, in conjunction with the City of Astoria and the owner. The cause of this incident is under investigation.
USCG initially responded 28 July after receiving a report Tourist No 2 was taking on water at the 6th Street Pier in Astoria. It authorised up to US$200,000 to be spent from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, enabling the federal government to respond immediately to this pollution incident, and hire Global Diving and Salvage to respond.
A containment boom was wrapped around the vessel and pollutants were removed. Salvors stabilised the vessel and attempted to refloat it.
