Coast Guard: New gulf oil sheen may be from sunken Transocean rig

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Coast Guard: New gulf oil sheen may be from sunken Transocean rig
By Virginia Chamlee | 09.30.11 | 3:57 pm

Sightings of a very large sheen of oil in the Gulf of Mexico have had coastal residents and fishermen worried for over a month. But in a statement issued yesterday, the Coast Guard says the sheen is not from BP?s now-capped Macondo well, which caused harm to both Florida?s environment and economy last year.

Though the Coast Guard said video footage of BP?s Macondo well shows no new leakage, the company hasn?t been ruled out as a source of the sheen. In its statement, the Coast Guard floats the possibility that oil may be emanating from a riser pipe of the Transocean rig, whose explosion led to last year?s disaster. (That rig now sits on the ocean floor.)

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http://floridaindependent.com/49443/coast-guard-new-gulf-oil-sheen-may-be-from-sunken-transocean-rig

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Re: Coast Guard: New gulf oil sheen may be from sunken Transocean rig

Remotely Operated Vehicle footage of Macondo Well 252 collected Aug. 26, 2011

September 19, 2011 | 12:54:20 PM EDT

Following is a link to Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) video footage collected by BP of the Macondo well (MC 252 #1) and relief well (MC 252 #3) wellheads in response to a request from the US Coast Guard to investigate the possible source of a reported spill in the vicinity. These visual wellhead inspections, conducted on Aug. 25 and 26, 2011, confirmed that there is no release of oil from either well and that both wells are secure.

The ROV video inspection was conducted in the presence of representatives from the Gulf Coast Incident Management Team (GCIMT) (formerly MC252 Unified Command) located in New Orleans. GCIMT members watching the live video feed included representatives of the US Coast Guard, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, the Department of Interior and representatives from the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida.

The inspection was prompted by press reports that sheens of oil observed in the vicinity were from the Macondo well. The Macondo well was capped on July 15, 2010 and permanently killed by sealing the well and annulus with cement on Sept. 19, 2010. The well was later plugged and abandoned with the approval and oversight of the US government.

During the course of inspecting both wellheads, small, intermittent bubbles were observed emanating from cement ports at the base of the wellheads.

These observations are consistent with testing and sampling performed last year that detected nitrogen bubbles, a residual byproduct of the nitrified foam used in setting the wells? surface casing cement.

Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
Video 4
Video 5

http://www.restorethegulf.gov/release/2011/09/19/remotely-operated-vehicle-footage-macondo-well-252-collected-aug-26-2011

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News Release
Date: September 27, 2011
Contact: D8 Staff
(504) 671-2020

Coast Guard issues Notice of Federal Interest to Transocean Holdings, LLC

NEW ORLEANS ? The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Morgan City, La., issued a Notice of Federal Interest to Transocean Holdings, LLC, Tuesday.


A series of sheen sightings in the area of Mississippi Canyon block 252 indicate the possibility of a release from the riser pipe or other debris on the ocean floor from the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon incident. Recent ROV video footage of the capped Macondo well has shown no evidence of a release from the well.


An NOFI puts a potential responsible party on notice and, under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the responsible party may be financially accountable for debris removal costs and damages resulting from the pollution incident. Federal removal actions will be limited to monitoring progress of the responsible party's actions and providing guidance as necessary.


"This is part of the process we take whenever there is an oil sighting that cannot be immediately attributed to a specific source. We will actively work with Transocean to discuss options to determine whether or not the wreckage is the cause," said Capt. Jonathan Burton, commanding officer of Marine Safety Unit Morgan City.

Failure or refusal of the responsible party to provide all reasonable cooperation and assistance requested by the Federal On-Scene Coordinator will eliminate any defense or entitlement to limited liability, which might otherwise be available under OPA 90, and subject them to significant fines under the Federal Water Pollution Act.


BP's Macondo well is not suspected as a source of the sheen. The ROV video can be viewed at http://www.restorethegulf.gov.

http://www.d8.uscgnews.com/go/doc/425/1204431/Coast-Guard-issues-Notice-of-Federal-Interest-to-Transocean-Holdings-LLC