As many as 350 reports of oil spills are being investigated by the US Coast Guard in and along the US Gulf of Mexico after the devastating Hurricane Ida. Ida ravaged offshore oil production property and onshore oil and gas processing facilities.

This comes as almost 88% of the offshore oil production remains shut and over 100 platforms are vacant after the deadly storm wreaked havoc on August 29. 

In search of spills, the Coast Guard has been conducting flyovers off the coast of Louisiana. Thus, providing information to authorities on all levels responsible for cleaning the sites.

Flights found traces of a new leak from an offshore well on Sunday and reported another leak that caused a long streak of inactive oil. “A third report of oil near a drilling platform could not be confirmed,” it said.

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“The source of the Bay Marchand leak remains unknown,” said Coast Guard spokesman Lieutenant John Edwards. A Coast Guard-led team “will be looking at all potential sources in order to ensure any future risk is mitigated”, he said.

Ever since its discovery last week, the Port Fourchon spill had reduced substantially, Talos said, “The company is not the owner of the pipelines and had ceased production operations in the area four years ago,” said spokesman Brian Grove. 

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The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) claims to be working with the Coast Guard and the US Environmental Protection Agency to make companies responsible for spills pause and clean up the discharges.

“If necessary USCG and/or the EPA can open federal funding streams to cover mitigation costs,” LDEQ said.

“EPA has received 39 reports relative to the Hurricane in our Area Of Responsibility and has been evaluating those reports and following up with responsible parties to ensure they are being addressed,” the agency said in a statement.