On
July 21, EPA was notified by the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s
Office (LOSCO) through the National Response Center of a discharge of 350
barrels of crude oil from an abandoned well in Vinton, Louisiana, in Calcasieu Parish. The cause of
the discharge is unknown. The spill was contained in secondary
containment, but due to impending Tropical Storm Bertha, EPA deployed to mitigate any threat to nearby waterways. The site is located approximately 1 mile east of the Vinton Drainage Canal, which discharges into Black Bayou.
Upon
arrival to the site, EPA discovered that 500 barrels of oil was within secondary containment. EPA was informed by LOSCO that wild hogs had damaged
the containment and created a gap that allowed oil to escape. EPA contractors mobilized vacuum
trucks and crews to recover the spilled material. EPA is will remain on-site to
document the recovery operations. The goal is to reduce the amount of crude oil to prevent migration to the Vinton Drainage Canal.
EPA will provide further updates as necessary.
