Automatic source timelinePort Sulphur, LA USATimeline updated 7 Sept 2026

Lake Washington A10 Well Leak; Port Sulphur, LA USA

NOAA initial notification: “On December 9, 2018, the USCG Sector New Orleans contacted the NOAA SSC regarding an equipment failure on a wellhead casing in Lake Washington/Rattlesnake Bayou, near Port Sulphur, LA. The discharge amount is estimated to be ~129bbls of crude/water/gas per day. The source was […]”[1]

Follow the timeline Latest included source reportOriginal sources (7)

Latest included source report

Posted 17 Dec 2018

Latest source report

“News Release U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008 Eighth District online newsroom UPDATE 3: Response continues for the Lake Washington A10 Well Leak NEW ORLEANS – The Unified Command continues to respond to a well that discharged a mixture of crude oil, gas, and water near Port Sulphur, […]” Current outcome is not independently verified by seahazards.[7]

NOAA report chronology

7 dated source records · 9 Dec 2018 to 17 Dec 2018
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NOAA incident record opened

Initial notification excerpt: “On December 9, 2018, the USCG Sector New Orleans contacted the NOAA SSC regarding an equipment failure on a wellhead casing in Lake Washington/Rattlesnake Bayou, near Port Sulphur, LA. The discharge amount is estimated to be ~129bbls of crude/water/gas per day. The source was not reported as secured. USCG is requesting a trajectory and potential resources at risk.”

NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track

Initial incident area only. Dates are NOAA postings, not a vessel track. Playback advances every 5 seconds.

Milestone 1 of 7: 9 Dec 2018. NOAA incident record opened. NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track

  1. NOAA incident record opened

    Initial notification excerpt: “On December 9, 2018, the USCG Sector New Orleans contacted the NOAA SSC regarding an equipment failure on a wellhead casing in Lake Washington/Rattlesnake Bayou, near Port Sulphur, LA. The discharge amount is estimated to be ~129bbls of crude/water/gas per day. The source was not reported as secured. USCG is requesting a trajectory and potential resources at risk.”

    NOAA approximate incident area; not a vessel track (29.399°, -89.786°)

    NOAA Office of Response and Restoration

  2. Press Release

    Source report excerpt: “Coast Guard responding to oil discharge in Rattle Snake Bayou NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard is responding to an oil discharge near Port Sulphur, Louisiana, Sunday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report from the National Response Center that a crude oil well in Rattle Snake Bayou, southwest of Port Sulphur, was reported to be leaking. The amount discharged has not been determined; the well is rated to produce 5,476 gallons of oil per day. It is unknown when the discharge began. The source of the discharge has not been secured. Hilcorp, the owner of the well, has contracted ES&H as an oil spill response organization. ES&H currently has 4 response boats and 13 […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  3. USCG Press Release

    Source report excerpt: “Coast Guard responding to oil discharge in Rattle Snake Bayou U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 12/09/2018 05:48 PM EST News Release U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008 Eighth District online newsroom December 9, 2018 Coast Guard responding to oil discharge in Rattle Snake Bayou Editor's Note: For a high resolution version, click on the photo. NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard is responding to an oil discharge near Port Sulphur, Louisiana, Sunday. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report from the National Response Center that a crude oil well in Rattle Snake Bayou, southwest […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  4. USCG Press update

    Source report excerpt: “UPDATE: Response continues for Rattle Snake Bayou oil release U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 12/10/2018 09:11 PM EST News Release U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008 Eighth District online newsroom December 10, 2018 UPDATE: Response continues for Rattle Snake Bayou oil release Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version. NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard continues to respond to a well discharging a mixture of crude oil, gas, and water near Port Sulphur, Louisiana, Monday. A Unified Command has been established consisting of the Coast Guard, Hilcorp, and the Louisiana Oil […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  5. USCG photo

    Source report excerpt: “PORT SULPHUR, LA, UNITED STATES 12.10.2018 Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Lora Ratliff U.S. Coast Guard District 8 Coast Guard Sector New Orleans is continuing to respond to an active oil discharge near Port Sulphur, Louisiana, December 10, 2018. The Coast Guard is working with local and state agencies in response to the release. U.S. Coast Guard photo”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  6. UPDATE 2: Response continues for the Lake Washington A10 Well Leak

    Source report excerpt: “USCG Press Release. UPDATE 2: Response continues for the Lake Washington A10 Well Leak U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 12/12/2018 08:04 PM EST News Release U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008 Eighth District online newsroom UPDATE 2: Response continues for the Lake Washington A10 Well Leak Editors' Note: Click on images to download high resolution version. NEW ORLEANS – A Unified Command consisting of the Coast Guard, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office and Hilcorp Energy continues to respond to a well that discharged a mixture of crude oil, gas, and water near Port Sulphur, Louisiana, […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive

  7. USCG Update #3 12/17/2018 10:19 AM EST

    Source report excerpt: “News Release U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland Contact: 8th District Public Affairs Office: (504) 671-2020 After Hours: (618) 225-9008 Eighth District online newsroom UPDATE 3: Response continues for the Lake Washington A10 Well Leak NEW ORLEANS – The Unified Command continues to respond to a well that discharged a mixture of crude oil, gas, and water near Port Sulphur, Louisiana, Sunday. At approximately 10:15 p.m. personnel on a rig barge mechanically plugged the well head permanently securing it. It is estimated that approximately 9,282 gallons of oil was discharged before the well head was controlled. Approximately 13,300 feet of hard boom has been deployed. Approximately 10,080 […]”

    NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive
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Details in the record

Source record
NOAA IncidentNews 9831[1]
Dated source updates
6[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Reading this account

Automatically assembled from NOAA's incident record and substantive Public Affairs or Situation Update posts. Dates are NOAA posting dates, which can differ from when events happened or original reports were published. Excerpts retain the source's wording and uncertainty. This account does not independently establish the cause, current outcome or safety of the area. NOAA coverage is selective; missing updates do not mean nothing happened. The map shows one approximate incident area, not a vessel track.

These are excerpts from the source, not independently verified conclusions. Publication order can differ from the sequence of events. Follow the source links for the complete reports.

Original sources

Timeline updated 7 Sept 2026. New reports and changes to this NOAA incident are incorporated automatically; this is not a live incident feed.

  1. 1.Lake Washington A10 Well Leak; Port Sulphur, LA USA ↗NOAA Office of Response and Restoration · 9 Dec 2018
  2. 2.Press Release ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 9 Dec 2018
  3. 3.USCG Press Release ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 12 Dec 2018
  4. 4.USCG Press update ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 12 Dec 2018
  5. 5.USCG photo ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 12 Dec 2018
  6. 6.UPDATE 2: Response continues for the Lake Washington A10 Well Leak ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 13 Dec 2018
  7. 7.USCG Update #3 12/17/2018 10:19 AM EST ↗NOAA IncidentNews · source report archive · 17 Dec 2018

Related records in our archive

Original source text, preserved separately from this account.

NOAAORR-9831 NOAA response record
Lake Washington A10 Well Leak; Port Sulphur, LA USA.
Port Sulphur, LA USA.
1. On December 9, 2018, the USCG Sector New Orleans contacted the NOAA SSC regarding an equipment failure on a wellhead casing in Lake Washington/Rattlesnake Bayou, near Port Sulphur, LA. The discharge amount is estimated to be ~129bbls of crude/water/gas per day. The source was not reported as secured. USCG is requesting a trajectory and potential resources at risk.
2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: OIL, CRUDE. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 129 GALLONS. TAGS: WELLHEAD.
3. POSITION 29.399N 089.786W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 9831: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/9831
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