The Unified Command continues to monitor and respond to an oil discharge near the Main Pass Oil Gathering (MPOG) company's pipeline system, known as the MPOG11015 incident, near Plaquemines Parish southeast of New Orleans.
The Unified Command conducted multiple overflights Friday and Saturday.
Overflight teams observed visible oil Friday moving southwest away from the Louisiana shore. Three skimming vessels are working to recover oil on the surface. On Saturday and Sunday, overflights observed intermittent surface sheens. Additional surface observations are ongoing with two Coast Guard cutters on scene and additional overflights.
Remotely operated vehicles, deployed Friday morning, continue to survey the pipeline with no findings of a source area at this time. The vehicles will continue to survey the pipeline if weather conditions permit. The Unified Command is working diligently to determine the source of the release.
There have been no reports of injuries or shoreline impacts at this time.
The volume of discharged oil is currently unknown. The total pipeline length is 67 miles and was closed by MPOG at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. Initial engineering calculations indicate potential volume of crude oil that could have been released from the affected pipeline is 1.1 million gals.
The Coast Guard continues to oversee the coordinated effort to mitigate the impact of the oil discharge.
The Unified Command is coordinating with federal, state and local agencies to ensure the safety of the public, protect the environment, and respond to the incident.
A marine safety information broadcast is being transmitted to all vessels in the area.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
A claims phone line has been established at 228-273-2400.
