Lake Barre, Pipeline Spill; Houma, Louisiana

Houma, Louisiana | 1997-May-16

Initial Notification: At 1542 on May 16, 1997, a 16-inch Texaco pipeline released crude oil into Lake Barre, Louisiana. The pipeline was located approximately 6 miles from shore, 27 miles southeast of Houma, Louisiana. At 1740 a slick was observed by a Texaco observer during an overflight. The leak was secured at approximately 1800. The slick was estimated to be 1 mile long by 900 feet wide. From the color of the oil, observers assumed a 0.1-millimeter (mm) thickness and estimated that 277 barrels had been released. Later estimates of the spill volume were between 5,000 and 7,500 barrels. USCG district 8. Keyword: boom, saltwater marsh, skimmers, sorbent.