ExPert oil well damaged; Coast Guard investigating

An oil well operated by ExPert Oil and Gas, LLC, of Covington, was damaged sometime after midnight last Saturday, resulting in at least 61,000 gallons of sweet medium crude oil being discharged into Bayou Perot, according to U.S. Coast Guard officials.

“It appears that the wellhead was struck by a vessel,” according to Coast Guard LCDR Cheri Ben-Iesau. There is a $35,000 reward being offered by ExPert Oil and Gas LLC, for information resulting in the positive and verified identification of the person or persons responsible for damaging the wellhead.

Louisiana Fish and Wildlife officials are assessing the environmental impact of the spill, which has yet to be determined.

According to John King, of ExPert Oil and Gas, over 50,000 feet of containment booms have been erected around the sight of the spill. The Coast Guard estimates that 320 barrels of contaminated fluid were recovered this past Sunday, bringing the total to 3534 barrels of contaminated fluid recovered from the site of the wellhead breach.

“ExPert was very quick to step up to the plate to minimize the environmental impact of the spill,” Ben-Iesau said.

The spill occurred near mile marker 20 of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The GICW has been open to all vessel traffic between mile markers 19 and 21 where a slow bell zone was in effect. Friday afternoon the wind shifted forcing the Coast Guard to close the ICW, according to Ben-Iesau. The ICW was reopened to one-way traffic on Monday.

Officials have refused to comment on the status of the investigation.