Louisiana Department Of Natural Resources News

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday that it was responding to a natural gas pipeline explosion at Lake Lery, La., and there have been no reports of injuries, casualties or pollution at this time.The Coast Guard received a report of a large fire at Lake Lery, it said in a release."The pipeline has been secured.

RWE Renewables, a German offshore wind giant is looking to build an offshore wind supply chain in Louisiana, one of the top U.S. oil and gas producing states. RWE said last week it would collaborate with Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.) and GNOwind Alliance to build a program that will accelerate the engagement of Louisiana's supply chain with offshore wind and benefit all Louisianians. Greater New Orleans, Inc. is the regional economic development nonprofit organization serving the 10-parish region of Southeast Louisiana.Over the next six months, GNO, Inc.

Former Louisiana state official Scott A. Angelle will head-up the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Angelle, who most recently served as Vice Chairman of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, will assume his new position May 23. “Scott Angelle brings a wealth of experience to BSEE, having spent many years working for the safe and efficient energy production of both Louisiana’s and our country’s offshore resources,” Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke said.

The Coast Guard is reponding to limit pollution of the sea in the area 9 miles SW of Port Sulphur (on W. bank of the Mississippi) Louisiana. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans watchstanders received a report Tuesday that the 42-foot crewboat Sea Raider, allided with a wellhead owned by Swift Energy, causing the platform to discharge an oily-water mixture. Swift Energy, the responsible party, has contracted a barge to secure the wellhead. Response crews have deployed 1,800-feet of boom to contain the discharged oily-water mixture from the wellhead.

USA hosted the nineteenth International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) annual seminar from 9-10 November, with its theme ‘The future of marine and subsea operations’. This year’s seminar attracted over 340 delegates, and was endorsed by IADC, OGP, MTS dynamic positioning committee, API, ADC International, OCIMF, and OOC. The two days saw a range of presentations, workshops, social events, an exhibition with stands from 19 different companies, and some strong views from speakers and delegates alike.

As befits the 50th anniversary of the advent of dynamic positioning (DP), the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has turned the spotlight on this invaluable technology. Earlier this year ‘Guidance for developing and conducting annual DP trials programmes for DP vessels’ (IMCA M 190) was published. Now a complementary publication ‘Example of an Annual DP Trials Report’ (IMCA M 212) is available for free download from the IMCA website. IMCA M 190 describes the development…

Delegates from all over the world will be gathering in New Orleans in a matter of weeks for the 19th Annual Seminar of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA). With its theme ‘The Future of Marine & Subsea Operations’, the two day event gets off to a flying start on Wednesday 9 November with a powerful keynote address session involving five key players in the industry addressing the seminar theme – to be followed the next day by a BOEMRE keynote address. “We are delighted to be welcoming IMCA President Andy Woolgar of Subsea 7…

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) has awarded two Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) grants totaling $481,978 to the state of Louisiana and Vermilion Parish, La. The grants will fund beach and dune restoration planning along the West Caminada Headland in Lafourche Parish, La., and a shoreline protection and marsh creation plan at Tiger Point in Vermilion Parish. Created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, CIAP provides funding to the six Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas producing states to conserve and protect the coastal environment. CIAP is an ongoing program with grant funding that is allocated based on the offshore energy revenues collected by the United States.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to work with the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office LOSCO, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources LDNR, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality LDEQ, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries LAWLF, the Louisiana State Police LSP, and Jefferson Parish Emergency Services to minimize environmental damage resulting from an allision between a tow vessel and a wellhead in the Barataria Waterway, which occurred at approximately 1 a.m., July 27. The Unified Command Post, established at U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans, is reporting that the wellhead was secured at 6:05 p.m. August 1 and is no longer emitting oil or natural gas into Barataria Bay. The wellhead is also equipped with a light.

Federal and Louisiana agencies settled with Marine Oil Trader 3, Ltd. and Ermis Maritime Corp. for the November 2000 T/V Westchester oil spill into the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, La. With oversight from the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of the Interior’s U.S. restoration projects to address the resources injured by the spill. On Nov. 28, 2000, the T/V Westchester grounded in the Mississippi River at River Mile 38, discharging approximately 500,000 gallons of crude oil into the Mississippi River downstream from New Orleans in Plaquemines Parish, La. hunting opportunities. to conduct a natural resource damage assessment to identify and restore injured natural resources.

Bisso Marine Company, Inc., in New Orleans, has successfully completed the salvage of the 1,200 ton Gantry Ship Unloader from the Mississippi River at the IC Railmarine Terminal, Convent, La. The crane collapsed from the dock during testing procedures last June. Bisso cut the unloader into three main sections, utilizing shape charge type explosives. The sections were lifted by Bisso Marine derricks and transported to a secure lay down area on the batture behind the dock for forensic investigation. The 90 ton trolley, test weights, counterweights and other miscellaneous equipment from the crane were recovered from 80 to 135 ft. water depths by Bisso Marine divers and equipment.

The New Orleans District, USACE and the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources held an historic signing ceremony to launch a major coastal wetlands study. With the signing of the Coast 2050 Feasability Cost Share, the agencies will initiate a $6 million feasibility study of the Barataria Basin. The study will be completed in September 2001. "This is more than just another study," sais Congressman Billy Tauzin of Chackbay, who headed the effort to secure federal funding. The Barataria Basin was selected as the first area for study because it is the most critical, losing about 11 square miles annually. The study will focus on marsh creation, barrier island restoration and river diversion strategies. Other coastal feasibility studies are planned in the future.