Incident News

On February 26, 2026, the LOOP Marine Terminal south of Louisiana reported a spill of less than 100 barrels of crude oil. The release was secured. The spill resulted in a 10 nautical mile slick. Spill response and repair were postponed due to hazardous offshore conditions. NOAA provided trajectory support.

On February 24, 2026, NESDIS (the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service of NOAA) identified an anomaly in offshore oil and gas field Garden Isle 18 from imagery collected on February 23. An overflight by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) confirmed the presence of a sheen. The sheen is in the vicinity of abandoned Exxon wells and Cox and W&T pipelines. Investigation into the source is underway. No requests for additional NOAA support at this time.

On February 24, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Houston-Galveston contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) to request a potential trajectory in the location of M/V Skipper, where lightering operations will take place in the next 4-5 days in the Gulf of America. The product is suspected to be Venezuela crude oil.

January 2026: The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received notice of a leaking wellhead in West Bay, Louisiana. The wellhead is abandoned with no viable responsible party. It is releasing as much as 1 barrel of crude oil per day. USCG has placed a coffer dam around the wellhead and is in the process of planning repairs to the wellhead. Oil continuing to be released is contained within the coffer dam. NOAA will provide support regarding consultations and potentially on-site support.

February 16, 2026: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Virginia notified the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator SSC that they have been responding to a spill of JP-5 jet fuel that occurred on February 13 at Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.’s Newport News Shipbuilding division, Newport News, Virginia. The release occurred during a fuel transfer from a barge to a pre-commissioned vessel under construction. The cause is unknown at this time. Initial reports estimated the release to be 50 gallons of JP-5; however, the amount was later updated to 7,800 gallons of JP-5. Sector Virginia has requested a hindcast trajectory of the discharge.

February 12, 2026: A TPIC 4-inch flowline associated with wells #23 and #24 discharged approximately 50 barrels of crude oil into adjacent marsh and the Romere Pass waterway. State and Federal agencies discussed burning as a potential remedy. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will not permit a burn at the location of the spill due to proximity of a facility. Vegetation cutting and flushing are being considered as cleanup techniques. The U.S. Coast Guard requested onsite support from NOAA.

On February 4, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding a possible release of methyl mercaptan from a hazmat container aboard the container ship Northern Jaguar. The USCG is gathering information and requested immediate hazard analysis for the chemical. The NOAA SSC provided initial hazard information (flammability and toxicity) from CAMEO Chemicals and is awaiting further details.

On February 4, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Houma received a National Response Center report regarding a spill of oil from a Cantium wellhead located in Grand Isle block #25. The leak was caused by corrosion. Cantium is reporting an estimated 1.6 gallons released into open water. The release is reportedly secured and cleanup is underway. The USCG is not requesting NOAA assistance at this time.

Early on Friday, January 30, 2026, the commercial fishing vessel Lilly Jean sank off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) is responding to a request to assist with the ongoing investigation.

On February 3, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Lake Charles received a report of a natural gas explosion from an inactive Delfin LNG pipeline near Cameron, Louisiana. No injuries were reported. The large flame could be seen from at least 20 miles away. USCG is requesting air plume modeling from OR&R.

On February 2, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding a red sheen coming from five bait pens moored off the Hyde St. Pier in San Francisco Bay, California. The material resembled red dye diesel, but had no discernable odor and appeared to be coming from the bait pens. The bait fish appeared to be live, active, and unaffected. A biological source is suspected.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding the toppling of the self-propelled drilling rig Doyon 26 on the Alaska North Slope. The incident occurred near the Alpine Field, located north of the village of Nuiqsut, Alaska. (Doyon 26, which weighs nearly 10 million pounds, is the largest mobile land drilling rig in North America.) The rig left the road and tipped over on its side while in transit. The cause is being investigated. There is a potential release of diesel (4,000 gallons), ethylene glycol and hydraulic fluid to the tundra. The pipeline was not impacted and there were no serious injuries. The EPA requested assistance determining the incident's proximity to waters of the United States (WOTUS), resources at risk, and Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation.

At 1139 local time, the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) for District Northwest was notified by the EPA On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) of a train derailment in Oregon on 01/21/2026. Three locomotive engines with 10,000 gallons of diesel each are on board. The State OSC and the U.S. Coast Guard are on-scene, although EPA retains overall authority. No products have been requested from NOAA; notification only.

At 0915 local time, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Unit Morgan City contacted the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding an oil discharge of approximately 9 barrels of crude oil from a wellhead (NRC Incident Report #1453174) into West Cote Blanche Bay. The report details the discharge was discovered at 0720 on January 22, 2026 at Perdido Energy wellhead 859. The release was secured (well shut in) and boom was deployed to contain the spill. The responsible party contracted an oil spill response organization (OSRO) and USCG assessment crew are en route with an estimated time of arrival of 1030. USCG has requested trajectory analysis to determine the possibility of shoreline impacts and to aid in further assessment and response actions.

On January 20, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Western Alaska & U.S. Arctic notified the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) regarding a diesel spill in Whittier Harbor, Alaska. A diesel slick measuring approximately 100 feet by 50 feet and 1/8" thick was currently contained within three slips at C Dock. A sheen extending roughly 100 feet by 200 feet was also visible. Sea otters had been observed in the immediate area. The USCG requested assistance in calculating the discharge volume based on these observations.

On January 17, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Delaware Bay notified the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) that a 74-foot wooden yacht with 600 gallons of diesel fuel on board, sank in an area approximately 5 miles east and offshore of Shark River Inlet, New Jersey. Extensive sheening was observed by the USCG, with the sheen appearing to be drift in a northerly direction. Sector Delaware Bay requested from NOAA trajectory and resources-at-risk descriptions.

On January 16, 2026 a TPIC flow line in Southwest Pass 24 spilled approximately 10 barrels of oil into marsh adjacent to the Mississippi River. The U.S. Coast Guard requested NOAA assistance to determine appropriate cleanup techniques.

At midday on January 14, 2026, the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) in Northwest District was notified of a 67' fishing vessel that grounded in Port Orford, Oregon. Approximately 1000 gallons of diesel had already been removed and a salvage company was enroute to destroy the vessel. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River wanted to discuss salvage operations and requested a resources at risk report to assess potential impacts during demolition.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Southeast Alaska notified the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) of a 300-gallon discharge from a residential home heating oil tank. The fuel had migrated from the crawl space through the driveway and into the storm drain, resulting in a visible sheen at the outfall in Sitka Sound. The incident location is in close proximity to the Sitka National Historic Park and the Sitka Sound Science Center. The USCG has requested the following support: a fuel trajectory based on local currents, if possible; an assessment of resources at risk; a spot weather forecast.

On January 12, 2026, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Mobile notified the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) of a fire aboard a salvage auto barge that caught fire and ran aground on the Mobile River downstream of the Cochrane Bridge. The USCG requested support from the NOAA SSC regarding threat assessment and possible modeling of smoke plume. The NOAA SSC provided initial recommendations on air monitoring, as well as spot weather forecast. More details regarding site conditions and the barge cargo are pending further assessment. The USCG Gulf Strike Team is enroute to conduct air monitoring. The SSC remains on standby for further support.