Talos Energy Inc. continues to lead response efforts to contain and control an oil spill in Bay Marchand Block 5, off the coast of Port Fourchon, La., in the US Gulf of Mexico, it said in a Sept. 7 release, noting that its assets are not responsible for the leak.
Talos was initially notified of a release observed in state waters on Tuesday, Aug. 31 due to its status as a prior lessee of the block. The company ceased production from the block in 2017. Subsequently, all Talos wells were appropriately isolated from the producing reservoir according to regulatory standards and all Talos pipeline infrastructure was removed by 2019, the company said.
Upon notification, Talos immediately initiated its response team and vessels began to arrive on location on Wednesday, Sept. 1 to conduct oil containment and recovery operations with booms and skimmers. A lift boat equipped with a dive spread arrived on location on Saturday, Sept. 4 and divers were deployed on Sunday to investigate potential sources of the release.
Talos conducted both physical inspections and subsea sonar scans that confirmed Talos assets were not the source or cause of the release. The company has observed several non-Talos owned subsea pipelines that were likely impacted by Hurricane Ida, including a 12-in diameter non-Talos owned pipeline that appears to be the source of the release, it said. On Monday, Sept. 6, response personnel installed a containment dome on the affected pipe, which allows for the recovery of the release and transfer to surface vessels.
As confirmed by recent United States Coast Guard (USCG) visual surveillance, surface evidence of the release has significantly diminished and there have been no observed impacts to shoreline or wildlife, Talos said.
The company is working with the USCG and Louisiana state officials to identify the owner of the line and is continuing to collaborate with USCG and other state and federal officials to receive approval to initiate permanent repair of the line. A timeline for repair operations is still being determined.