LOOP Incident; Gulf of Mexico, LA

Gulf of Mexico, LA | 2005-Apr-01

Initial Notification: A mystery slick was observed N or the LOOP facility and a leak was discovered at one of the crude oil off-loading facilities from an apparent corrosion failure at a flange. That flange failure created a slick some three miles long, but the surface oil observed was mostly sheen. The larger slick was reported by LOOP as being unrelated and not sourced from any failures at the facility. The mystery slick was also mostly sheen, and was reported to cover an estimated 20 sq. miles, but the cover was not continuous. Dispersant aircraft were put on standby status by the USCG, but no heavy surface oil that would justify dispersant use was observed. The source at the flange was secured on the same day.