Huge Oil Spill Shuts Mississippi River

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Huge Oil Spill Shuts Mississippi River

Reuters

posted: 3 HOURS 24 MINUTES AGO

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HOUSTON (July 23) - A collision between a chemical tanker and a fuel barge on the Mississippi River spilled over 400,000 gallons (1,560,000 liters) of fuel oil and prompted the U.S. Coast Guard to close a 29-mile (47-km) stretch of the waterway around New Orleans, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

The river remained closed between Mile Marker 99, near the Harvey Canal, and Mile Marker 70, downstream from New Orleans, as of 3:00 p.m. CDT (4 p.m. EDT).

Crews Scramble to Contain Fuel

Barge split in halfAlex Brandon, AP

More than 400,000 gallons of fuel oil spilled into the Mississippi River around New Orleans Wednesday after a chemical tanker and a fuel barge collided overnight. The Coast Guard closed a 29-mile stretch of the river as crews scrambled to contain the spill. Here, tug boats hold up the barge, which split in half.

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Vessel traffic was halted after the 1:30 a.m. CDT (2:30 a.m. EDT) collision in which the MV Tintomara cut in half an American Commercial Lines barge loaded with No. 6 fuel oil.

About 420,000 gallons of thick, slow-to-evaporate fuel spilled from the barge, but nothing leaked from the Tintomara, officials said.

A sheen at least 12 miles long spread down river, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said efforts were being made to minimize the impact on air and water quality and wildlife.

Drinking water intake was diverted or closed in the area and citizens were asked to conserve water use to maximize supplies on hand pending resumption of water treatment operations, the New Orleans water department said.

Cleanup crews spread booms, which are floating barriers, to try to contain the oil and keep it out of sensitive areas, said Jean Kelly, spokeswoman for the state environmental agency.

State staff were at the scene and still gathering details of the environmental impact, she said.

"We have a lot of wildlife in the southern delta," Kelly said.

The river closure stalled at least 10 vessels northbound and 15 southbound on the river, as well as 29 at locks waterways connecting to the river as of 3:00 p.m. CDT, a Coast Guard spokesman said.

Three refineries with 560,000 barrels per day of capacity were in the affected area, although there were no reports of effects on refinery operations. Some are served by pipeline rather than by vessel traffic on the river.

A Coast Guard environmental strike team also was on scene, along with helicopters and a Coast Guard vessel, the Coast Guard said. Tugboats were holding the pieces of the barge near the Crescent City Connection bridge, downstream from Harvey Canal, officials said.

Refineries in the area include Chalmette Refining LLC, which handles up to 193,000 bpd, and ConocoPhillips' Belle Chasse refinery with 247,000 bpd capacity, both of which reported no impact. Chalmette Refining is a joint venture between Exxon Mobil and Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA.

Murphy Oil, which owns the 120,000 bpd refinery at Meraux did not respond to telephone calls.

Copyright 2008, Reuters

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Not good. not good at all.

[shu9265]

Sure am glad I was not the Captain of that tug !

[GLF]

Not good at all. I wonder if it will kill any asian carp?

[tltorrice]

I keep thinking that I am paying almost $5.00 a gal for Diesl Fuel, and they are dumping 400,000 gallons of it into the river?