Spills · mystery_substance

Mystery sheen; viosca knoll 859, offshore louisiana

NOAAORR-9281

issued: 2016-05-22 00:00Z
status: cancelled 2016-06-05 00:00Z
self-cancels: 2016-06-05 00:00Z
authority: NOAA OR&R
sea: Gulf of Mexico
position: 28.983, -88.517
source: incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Mystery Sheen; Viosca Knoll 859, Offshore Louisiana.
Viosca Knoll 859, Offshore Louisiana.
1. On May 22, 2016, the USCG Sector NOLA notified the NOAA SSC about a mystery sheen in the vicinity of Viosca Knoll 859 block. The sheen, reported by third party overflying the area, was described as rainbow, extending 1 mile x 1 miles.
2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: CRUDE OIL (LIKELY). TAGS: MYSTERY SUBSTANCE.
3. POSITION 28.983N 088.517W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 9281: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/9281

This area · spills & pollution incidents

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

Crude oil spill and in-situ burn at tpic; south pass 24, pilottown, louisiana2026-08-26
8X38+5H dauphin island, al, USA2026-08-24
Mystery sheen at south pass 29; port eads, louisiana2026-08-13
Wcc oil spill, main pass 21; breton sound, louisiana2026-06-11
Tpic oil spill, main pass 81; gulf of america2026-06-10
Oil spill from out-of-service tank at tpic main pass 69 facility; louisiana2026-05-19

Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here

month of issue, all years in the archive

Timeline · 2 messages since 2016-05-10 · closed 2016-06-05

Mc 430 sheen; mississippi canyon block 430 (MC430)2016-05-10 → 2016-05-24
Mystery sheen; viosca knoll 859, offshore louisiana this message2016-05-22 → 2016-06-05

joined by proximity

Nearby now · within 120 nm

Crude oil spill and in-situ burn at tpic; south pass 24, pilottown, louisianaSpills · 40.7 nm
8X38+5H dauphin island, al, USASpills · 83.1 nm
Uscg remote communication facility new orleans 29-53.00N 089-57.00W mf and hf dsc off airNav aids · 92.4 nm

Worldwide now

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 →

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.