Oil Spill: Booster Line Leaks 10,000 Gallons Of Oil And Drilling Fluids In Gulf Of Mexico

 

Big Oil has a shameful history. That’s why in this series we are highlighting some of its most recent disastrous oil spills and raising awareness of the devastation that will occur if the industry is allowed to drill in the Arctic and off our coasts. Join us in the effort to protect our special places from drilling!

Equipment failure on the Deepwater Nautilus Rig in the Gulf of Mexico  leaked 10,000 gallons of oil and drilling fluid into the ocean. Shell was leasing the rig from Transocean, the company associated with the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.The leak was found in the booster line, a component of the well head that pumps in additional drilling fluids when needed, but is separate from the actual well itself. A mixture of drilling fluids and base oil leaked out of the cracked line for hours before operations on the rig were temporarily shut down. The 319 barrels produced a light sheen on the ocean, but the actual size remains unknown. Drilling fluids can be toxic to marine life, as well as people when ingested or if it comes into contact with skin.

 

Join us in telling President Obama to protect America’s Arctic from the dangers of drilling!