Shell Oil Co., continuing to respond today to an oil discharge in the Gulf of Mexico, reported it had collected about 76,600 gallons of an oil-water mix through Sunday evening.
The Advertiser reports no one connected to the cleanup—neither Shell nor several federal agencies—could suggest when it might conclude.
Shell said Thursday that a discharge of about 88,200 gallons occurred that morning some 90 miles south of Timbalier Island, off the Louisiana coast, creating an initial oil sheen of about 2 miles by 13 miles. The company identified the source of the problem as a flow line that connects to a tension leg platform at the Glider Field.
Production was shut down initially Friday but resumed Sunday at the nearby Brutus Field. No additional discharges have been reported following inspection of subsea infrastructures at the Glider Field, where production remained closed today.
Shell says in a statement that the sheen was moving westward today, but it is not expected to reach the shore. Air support is tracking the movement. Fisheries were not closed today, the company said. Also, the U.S. Coast Guard said there have been no reported impacts to wildlife.
The Coast Guard confirmed the continued presence of the sheen, but could not characterize if it presented problems unusual for a spill. Skimming continued using infrared technology, the company says in its statement. That process continued through the night.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement confirmed today that it has approved Shell’s plan to recover the damaged flowline segment. A BSEE spokeswoman says the agency would review “any subsequent repair plans” before production restarts.
Through midday Sunday, the Coast Guard said its “unified response efforts” with the oil company involved five vessels and about 130 people. The Coast Guard said it and Shell agreed that on-water vessels and “skimming” was the “safest and most effective” way to recover the oil.
