Oil spill off Cameron
 

Just got this from a friend at NOAA:

Good Afternoon, All
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Coast Guard MSU Lake Charles just reported a 5,000 gallon spill of crude oil from a platform three miles offshore and south of the general vicinity of Holly Beach. The spill has a sheen 5 miles long and about 50 feet wide and is headed southeast toward the Calcasieu Ship Channel. The response is being handled by Coast Guard Port Arthur and a clean-up responder has been engaged.* The Weather Service has been asked to predict the course of the oil slick based on tides, winds, etc. The Lake Charles Pilots are being contacted concerning ship traffic on our waterway.
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This is a preliminary notice that this event has occurred and may impact operations in our channel. USCG mentioned closing our channel, if necessary, to prevent oiled vessels from contaminating the inside waters of the channel. The undersigned requested a cleaning station be established for vessels using our channel rather than closing the waterway. That request will be considered by USCG.
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Only very preliminary information is available at this time and the Calcasieu Ship Channel has not yet been impacted. Further information will be sent to you as it becomes available.
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Thanks,
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Channing F. Hayden, Jr.
Director of Navigation and Security
Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
Office: 337-493-3620
Cell: 337-912-9817

Man that suck

Thanks for the info Mr Drost! Sounds like the USCG is on top of it. A cleaning station just outside the jetties would be best, weather permitting. I know they will try their best to keep the channel open. There is a lot of crude and other products that ship using the channel. If they clean outside the jetties the ICW shouldn't be impacted either. It would be really bad if both had to be closed like a few years ago.

One thing we have is north winds and strong falling tides...

3 miles South of Holly Beach heading Southeast is not toward the Ship Channel......

5000 Gallons of oil is NOT a lot of Oil to really cause any concern...It little over 100bbls of Oil which will thin out and evaporate in two days

Very true!

Nevermind
 

Good Evening, All.
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MSU Lake Charles reports that the initial information reported to USCG was in error. The commodity spilled was condensate not crude oil. Though the spill is moving toward the Calcasieu Ship Channel (ETA in about 48 hours) the spill is expected to evaporate* before it reaches the channel.
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We’ll all sleep better now.
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Thanks,
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Channing F. Hayden, Jr.
Director of Navigation and Security
Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
Office: 337-493-3620
Cell: 337-912-9817

Yep

Even Better...Its all gone as we speak...By Sunrise you will never find it

I believe the Ship Channel goes out of the Jetties south for about nine miles. Could be wrong about total miles, but I am sure that's what they are referencing.

The fairway extends out into the Gulf 30 miles.