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Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners Oil Spill 2011 in Louisiana
Louisiana Oil Slick Source Identified: Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners
The U.S. Coast Guard and/or Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries have traced the latest oil spill that is washing up on the Louisiana coast to Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners and a well-capping accident at their Platform E, West Delta Block 117. Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners expressed "surprise" and had previously reported 5 barrels had been spilled. The reporting of oil discharges operates on an "honor code" with oil companies and oil companies are "trusted" to turn themselves in. Obviously much more than 5 barrels, a pittance, has been spilled and is washing up on 30+ miles of Louisiana coast line. [Editor's Note: Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners in truth were surprised at getting caught and apparently the name of the regulatory game is to under report spills and hope for the best, i.e., that the discharge will go unnoticed.]
Newsy Videos "Another Spill in the Gulf"
Almost a year after the British Petroleum spill -- more oil in the Gulf. This time, it's not a BP problem, but a leak from an oil company based in Texas. Yahoo! News reveals the company responsible. "Anglo-Suisse Offshore Partners issued a statement last night expressing 'surprise' that what it claimed was a minor leak from a well that's been out of use for some time could have produced miles-long slicks..."
Yahoo! News points out the incident could have gone unreported, saying America's reporting system for spills operates on an honor code -- where companies are trusted to turn themselves in. So how did it happen? A writer for The Times-Picayune says the company was in the process of permanently plugging the well. And... "...it was the 12th well it owned in the area to undergo plugging and abandonment operations. All of those wells were shut in after Hurricane Katrina caused damage to platforms and haven't produced any oil since..."
The Associated Press discovered tens of thousands of abandoned wells just like the one that leaked -- all accidents waiting to happen. And the blog Treehugger says the way the company responded is a common problem. "Its initial estimate of how much oil leaked out? 5 gallons. Ah, yes -- yet another entry into the rich legacy of oil companies comically underestimating their spills. You'd have to spread 5 gallons worth of oil pretty thin to get it to stretch out for 30 miles." Thirty miles doesn't compare to the thousands and thousands of miles of oil from last year's spill - but NBC reports it's not something to take lightly.
"For the people of Louisiana who'd really hoped they'd turned the corner following last year's BP oil spill the sight of more boom on the beach is really stomach turning." Beaches in the area that were just returning to normal now have to deal with a new oil problem all over again. WWL spoke with a volunteer fire chief. "We fought through the whole spill to protect what we could and we accomplished something here and we don't want to lose it. That's the most important thing."
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