Spills · oil

Mystery oil sheens are reported at Eugene Island Block 316 in the Gulf of America, Louisiana, since early August 2026, with the source unidentified as authorities investigate.

NOAAORR-11216

issued: 2026-09-08 00:00Z
status: in force
self-cancels: 2026-09-22 00:00Z
authority: NOAA OR&R
sea: Gulf of Mexico
position: 28.263, -91.618
nearest port: New Orleans · 130 nm
source: incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-10 04:50Z

Original warning text

Mystery Sheens at Eugene Island Block 316; Gulf of America, Louisiana.
Gulf, LA.
1. NOAA NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service) Satellite Analysis Branch has been tracking several mystery sheens in Eugene Island Block 316 since early August 2026. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) are investigating the source of these sheens, but a source has not yet been identified. NESDIS Satellite Analysis Branch and OR&R's Emergency Response Division are assisting with the investigation.
2. THREAT: OIL.
3. POSITION 28.263N 091.618W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 11216: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/11216

Conditions at the position · now

loading…

MET Norway · NOAA WaveWatch III · HYCOM · GEBCO 2020 · model data at the centroid, not an observation

This area · spills & pollution incidents

1212 within 180 nm since 1970 · 42 in the last 12 months · 2 in force now

Cameron, la, USA2026-09-08
Crude oil spill and in-situ burn at tpic; south pass 24, pilottown, louisiana2026-08-26
Intermittent oil sheen; flower garden banks national marine sanctuary, bright bank2026-08-25
Mystery sheen at south pass 29; port eads, louisiana2026-08-13
Release of aluminum phosphide in M/V thorco liva; port arthur, texas2026-07-28
Mystery oiled shoreline at holly beach; cameron parish, louisiana2026-07-10

Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here

month of issue, all years in the archive

Nearby now · within 120 nm

Survey operations in progress until 15 sep by M/V island pride, M/V sanco swift and M/V olympic artemis in…Surveys · 94.8 nm

Worldwide now

5 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all

Spills

Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →

Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.