Apache Rig, Main Pass 295, 20 mi Offshore LA

On 15FEB13, USCG Sector New Orleans contacted NOAA SSC in regards to a potential release of crude oil and condensate from an exploratory well being drilled about 50 mi east of Venice, LA. There is concern about an underground flow of natural gas at the site and non-essential personnel have evacuated from the shallow-water platform. The well's blow-out preventer was successfully closed. There is currently no pollution release and operations are underway to fully secure the well. USCG requests a trajectory of the worse-case discharge as a precaution.