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Heavy Petroleum Product News

23 Dec 2005

Barge Returned to Port

The re-floated double-hulled tank barge DBL152 started its voyage for Alabama, where it will await final disposition. The barge capsized after it collided with a submerged platform while en route from Houston to Tampa, Fla. The intended destination for the barge is the Holcim dock in Theodore, Ala. During the last two weeks, the barge was re-floated and more than two million gallons of the cargo was safely offloaded, emptying the barge of all but residual product. Three cargo tanks were damaged on the barge. One cargo tank leaked initially from the collision on Nov. 10, and two others leaked after the barge capsized. The barge's oil cargo is a thick, heavy petroleum product known as number-six fuel oil. The oil is heavier than water, and sinks to the bottom of the sea.

01 Dec 2005

Survey Reveals Barge Struck Submerged Platform

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration completed a survey today revealing that the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152 struck a submerged platform on Nov. 10, while en route from Houston to Tampa, Fla. The platform gouged a 35-foot long by 6-foot wide hole in the barge's starboard bow, puncturing both hulls and damaging the number one cargo tank. The platform West Cameron 229A, owned by Targa Midstream Services Limited Partnership, was a non-producing platform used to support pipeline inspection and operation. It is normally above the surface of the water but was damaged and sank during Hurricane Rita. Following the storm the company located their platform and marked it with unlit buoys. Response crews began lightering the fuel from the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152. At 4 p.m.

30 Nov 2005

Rough Weather Hinders Barge Salvage Operations

Rough weather continues to hinder the salvage and recovery of the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152. Today, seas subsided enough for divers to begin reconnecting lightering hoses to the DBL 152. Lightering is the process of transferring oil cargo using hoses and pumps. The majority of the oil from the DBL 152 will be lightered prior to the salvaging of the barge. Three cargo tanks of the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152 were damaged and leaked oil. The number one starboard cargo tank, containing approximately 300,000 gallons of oil, was damaged in the collision with debris on Nov. 10. The number one port cargo tank and the number three starboard cargo tanks were breached sometime after the barge DBL 152 capsized on Nov. 14.

22 Nov 2005

Cargo Tank Damaged, Leaking Oil

Divers completed the damage assessment of the capsized barge, which revealed that a third cargo tank has breached. The number one port cargo tank hatch was damage sometime after the double-hulled tank barge DBL 152 capsized on Nov. 14. The cargo tank contained approximately 440,000 gallons of oil. A diver survey of the barge on Saturday evening discovered a 2.5-ft. by 8-ft. hole in the top of the number three starboard cargo tank. It also had been damaged sometime when or after the barge capsized, and it contained approximately 564,000 gallons of oil. The number one starboard cargo tank was damaged in the collision with debris on Nov. 10. The entire contents of all three damaged cargo tanks were 1,309,000 gallons of oil. It is not known how much oil has escaped the damaged tanks.

21 Nov 2005

Salvage Operations Resume for Capsized Barge

Salvage and clean-up operations resumed yesterday after rough weather that moved into the area Tuesday had suspended all operations. Divers surveyed the barge Saturday evening and discovered a 2.5-foot by 8-foot hole in the top of the number 3 starboard cargo tank. The number 3 starboard cargo tank was damaged sometime after the barge capsized, it contained approximately 563,000 gallons of oil. It is not known how much oil has leaked from the number 3 tank, but divers located oil under the barge. Today's operations are focused on locating the submerged oil, beginning the clean-up process and preparing to remove the remaining oil in the barge's cargo tanks. There was submerged oil located near where the collision occurred. Assets are being mobilized to begin removal of this oil.

14 Nov 2005

Barge Salvage Operations Continue

The Coast Guard has reported that response crews are anchoring the barge and plugging ballast tank vents to prevent water from leaking into the cargo tanks. Salvage opperations will continue throughout the night. An underwater survey operations revealed that oil continues to leak from the barge's damaged cargo tank. An over flight this morning revealed a sheen and black patches of oil extending three miles southwest of the barge. While transiting from Houston to Tampa, Fla., the barge struck some debris that gouged a 35-ft. long by 6-ft. wide hole in the starboard bow. There was approximately 300 thousand gallons of oil in the damaged tank. The tank barge DBL 152 was carrying almost 5 million gallons of a thick, heavy petroleum product known as number-six fuel oil.