Oil spill response continues after barge explosion off Aransas

The US Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, and Bouchard Transportation representatives continue to respond to the oil discharge following explosion onboard a barge, three miles off the jetties of Port Aransas, Texas.

Beach cleanup operations have removed approximately 48 cubic yards of oily solids from the impacted shoreline on Mustang Island and North Padre Island. Six cleanup teams, totaling over 120 people, are actively engaged in beach cleanup, USCG said.

Two wildlife response teams and one wildlife response vessel continue to assess any impacted wildlife between the Padre Island National Seashore and Port Aransas. Any recovered wildlife will be taken to the Amos Rehabilitation Keep at University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas.

There has been no further discharge of oil from the barge and air overflights observed no oil remaining on the water.

As informed, response personnel are applying high expansion foam to the cargo tanks of the barge as a preventive measure to suppress vapors in the tanks. There is no fire or firefighting activity ongoing. The barge remains safely in place with two response vessels on standby.

    “The TGLO’s oil spill response team and unified command partners have deployed along the affected beaches to quickly clean any shoreline impacts so that beach-goers can return to enjoying the natural beauty of the Texas coast,” said George P. Bush, Texas General Land Office Commissioner.