The Coast Guard and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) are responding to a loss of well control event at Ship Shoal Block 225 Platform B, a natural gas and crude oil platform located approximately 74 miles southwest of Port Fourchon, Tuesday.
The Coast Guard and BSEE received a report from Energy Resources Technology Gulf of Mexico, LLC (ERT) owner of the oil and natural gas production platform. Work to temporarily plug Well #B2 was on-going when workers became aware of the well control event. Two other wells on Platform B were producing at the time and were subsequently shut-in.
All platform personnel were safely evacuated from the platform.
BSEE inspectors and Coast Guard pollution responders conducted overflights yesterday. According to ERT’s site assessment, natural gas is flowing from the well and there is a rainbow sheen visible on the surface estimated to be more than four miles wide by three quarters of a mile long.
Both BSEE Houma District staff, Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City personnel are monitoring well control and pollution response efforts in ERT’s Command Center in Houston.
Both BSEE and Coast Guard are also working with other federal and local agencies in response to this incident.
Coast Guard and BSEE will conduct an investigation of the incident to determine the cause of the loss of well control.
[mappress] Press Release, July 10, 2013; Image: BOEM