Boat Hits Well, Triggers New Gulf Oil Leak

Louisiana's coast has another (smaller) spill to fight
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 27, 2010 3:55 PM CDT
Boat Hits Well, Triggers New Gulf Oil Leak
Oil spews from a wellhead in Barataria Bay on the coast of Louisiana Tuesday after it was struck by a tugboat.   (Patrick Semansky)

A tow boat struck an abandoned well off the coast of Louisiana today, sending a plume of oil and gas into the air. Crews are at the site, near Mud Lake, and expect to have it under control today. Booms and oil-skimming equipment were already in the area, which has been dealing with oil from the BP spill. The AP describes the affected region as a "network of bayous and lakes north of Barataria Bay, an ecologically sensitive coastal estuary." The resulting oil slick is a mile long and 50 yards wide. (More Gulf oil spill stories.)

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