Spills

Gulf of mexico

Mystery Spill - Gulf of Mexico Platform; Gulf of Mexico · NOAAORR-7230

issued: 1997-09-29 00:00Z
status: cancelled 1997-10-13 00:00Z
self-cancels: 1997-10-13 00:00Z
authority: NOAA OR&R
sea: Gulf of Mexico
position: 27.867, -91.150
source: incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Mystery Spill - Gulf of Mexico Platform; Gulf of Mexico.
Gulf of Mexico.
1. At approximately 1130 on September 30, 1997, a USCG overflight reported an 8-mile long by 0.5-mile wide black oil slick 100 miles offshore Louisiana near a platform construction site in the Gulf of Mexico. At approximately 1500 a second overflight saw a small sheen approximately 50 by 1,000 feet near the same platform construction site. USCG district 8. Keyword: none.
2. COMMODITY: SYNTHETIC DRILLING MUD.
3. POSITION 27.867N 091.150W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 7230: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/7230

This area · spills & pollution incidents

1081 within 180 nm since 1970 · 34 in the last 12 months · 2 in force now

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Nearby now · within 120 nm

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8 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 →

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