Mississippi River is pictured as it flows into the Gulf of Mexico Saturday, July 10, 2010. The Coast Guard reports an estimated maximum potential of 4,200 gallons of crude oil discharged from a well owned by Texas Petroleum Investment Company into the river's Main Pass on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016. (DINAH ROGERS)
Emily Lane, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
updated August 02, 2016 at 1:55 PM
As much as 4,200 gallons of crude oil discharged from a well into the mouth of the Mississippi River, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. The Coast Guard and other agencies were responding Tuesday (Aug. 2) to the spill in the Main Pass.
The well is owned by Texas Petroleum Investment Co., according to a news release from the Coast Guard. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
The agency said crews from Coat Guard Air Station New Orleans and Southern Seaplane are flying over the site and surrounding areas to make assessments.
The owner of the well has contracted with OMI Environmental Solutions and Clean Gulf Associates, private oil spill response companies, for clean-up operations.
The Coast Guard, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinators Office and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are also overseeing the response.
The Coast Guard said in its release 4,200 gallons was the "estimated maximum potential" amount discharged in the spill.
The agency last week said 840 gallons of oil leaked from a pipeline into the river's South Pass on Thursday (July 28). That pipeline was also owned by Texas Petroleum Investment Co.
The Coast Guard reported that day the pipe was secured and a containment boom was put in place.
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Coast Guard, other agencies responding to oil spill near Main Pass
Aug 2nd, 2016
NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard and other agencies are responding to a crude oil spill near Main Pass, Tuesday. An estimated maximum potential of 4,200 gallons of crude oil discharged from a well owned by Texas Petroleum Investment Company.
OMI Environmental Solutions and Clean Gulf Associates, oil spill response organizations, have been contracted by TPIC to conduct clean up operations. The Coast Guard, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinators Office and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are also overseeing the response.
Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans and Southern Seaplane aircrews are conducting aerial assessments of the site and surrounding areas.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.