Incident News

At approximately 0630 on 11APR2025 the F/V EILEEN RITA ran aground near Green Island outside of Boston Harbor. Diesel fuel is leaking from the vessel.

On April 2, 2025, the local NWS Weather Forecast Office staff contacted their NOAA SSC to relay a report from Contra Costa Fire Department of an ongoing spill being investigated in Carquinez Strait in Crockett, CA. A Cal OES report (No. 25-1666) was generated at 1719 hrs (local) describing “a large sheen forming in the waters of Carquinez Straights” ” and concurrent observations indicated a petroleum smell and a sheen, but no black oil. SSC contacted USCG, which had not yet heard of the incident, but would investigate. A USCG helicopter overflight observed bright white silver streaks/streamers in the waters of Carquinez Strait and local news later reported an unknown odor being investigated by local FD.

On April 1, 2025, a TPIC facility was reportedly spraying condensate and oil in the vicinity of Southwest Pass. The resulting sheen was spotted as far as 2 miles south in Cockler Bay. The reported quantity released is 5bbl. TPIC OSRO en route. USCG will be onsite 2 APR and requested SSC support.

USCG contacted the SSC regarding a discharge reported at the King Salmon oil & gas production platform in Cook Inlet. The discharge was originally reported as five gallons of a mixture of produced water and crude oil. but the USCG followed up with the SSC to report that the product discharged was not crude oil but a 'corrosion inhibitor.'

On March 29, 2025, the NMFS PRD Oil Spill team contacted the SSC regarding a discharge reported by Alaska Wildlife Troopers between Cape Pankof and Sand Point, Alaska. The vessel released the diesel fuel through its tank vents while it was moving -- over approximately 100 miles. There is no recoverable product.

On March 28, 2025, the NOAA NESDIS satellite surveillance program reported a mystery sheen in Main Pass 24 in the Gulf of America. The reported sheen was as long as 11nm. On 29 MAR, a USCG overflight confirmed the presence of oil on water. Oil producers in the vicinity of the sheen did not report any spills or malfunctioning equipment.

On March 27, 2025, the USCG MSD Sitka contacted the SSC regarding a unknown blue product found in Eliason Harbor, Sitka, AK. The product was a neon-blue with a strong diesel order, but more viscous than diesel. USCG requested assistance with identifying the product.

NMFS Protected Resources Division contacted the SSC regarding a NRC report for some heavy equipment that broke through the ice on the Susitna River on March 25, 2025. The RP reported a potential discharge of diesel fuel and lubricants - but no sheen was reported. The river is important habitat for the endangered Cook Inlet population of Beluga Whale. Fortunately, whales typically do not gather in the river until later April.

At approximately 2215 on 27 March, 2025. the USCG MSU Toledo contacted the NOAA SSC requesting a trajectory from a spill in Sarnia, ON in the St. Clair River.

On March 26, 2025, the USCG Sector San Francisco contacted their NOAA SSC regarding a 54-foot pleasure craft EMERALD C that grounded the previous night and is ashore in Stillwater Cove (adjacent to Pebble Beach Golf Links). At the time, the vessel was on sand and reportedly had 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel on-board.