Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published by The Maritime Executive

Published Aug 9, 2022 7:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

A spill response is under way after the release of a substantial quantity of oil from a collapsed storage tank on a platform in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana. 

A platform structure at Hilcorp's Caillou Island facility failed on Monday, causing a storage tank to fall into the water. Hilcorp estimates that up to 14,000 gallons of crude oil were released. 

The U.S. Coast Guard responded to the scene to oversee containment work. So far, about 4,500 feet of containment boom have been deployed, along with three skimming vessels and five response vessels. The cause of the incident is under investigation. 

Hilcorp is a private oil company specializing in the operation of older, mature oil fields and previously developed energy infrastructure. The field at Caillou Island first entered production in 1960 under the operation of Union Oil Company, according to archival accounts. Ownership later transferred to Texaco, then Chevron, then Hilcorp, according to well status records. The majority of the wells at the field are recorded as plugged and abandoned.  

Hilcorp's critics allege that the company has an uneven record when compared with the publicly-listed oil majors, whose older assets Hilcorp acquires and operates. In Alaska, where Hilcorp operates the Prudhoe Bay field, the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has accused the company of a "substantial history of non-compliance."

According to a recent report by Ceres based on federal data, Hilcorp is also the largest emitter of methane in the U.S. oil and gas industry, as well as the largest overall emitter of greenhouse gas (measured by warming potential). Its total GHG emissions outrank next-largest emitter ExxonMobil by 50 percent, though Hilcorp only produces about half as much energy as Exxon (measured by MBOE), according to the report.

“We spend substantial capital optimizing, retrofitting and refurbishing equipment in order to drive down emissions and intensity from these acquired assets,” spokesman Nick Piatek told the Wall Street Journal in response to the report.

Published Aug 12, 2022 9:39 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Friday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a package of climate, energy and health care funding proposals, drawn in large part from the Biden administration's defeated "Build Back Better Act" budget reconciliation bill. Though much slimmed down from the original multi-trillion-dollar plan, the rebranded Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) will have sweeping effects on the development of the clean-power industry in the U.S. - including the offshore wind industry. President Biden is expected to sign the Act into...

Published Aug 12, 2022 8:44 PM by The Maritime Executive

In a rare instance of cooperation, Pakistan reports that its Navy responded to a distress call and helped in the rescue of Indian sailors after their 145-foot commercial sailing vessel capsized. The Jamna Sagar was reportedly in the Arabian sea near Gwadar along the western border with Iran and at the entrance to the Gulf of Oman. The distress call was received on August 9 and a Pakistan Navy ship along with two helicopters were dispatched to the area to...

Published Aug 12, 2022 8:11 PM by The Maritime Executive

The first cruise ship in two and a half years arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on August 11 marking for the industry and the country the end of one of the longest COVID-19 related closures. Coming just a week after New Zealand reopened its borders to international tourists, the arrival of P&O Cruises’ Pacific Explorer was hailed as a key turning point for the industry as it works to rebuild for a full upcoming summer season due to launch in...

Published Aug 12, 2022 6:28 PM by The Maritime Executive

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is once again calling attention to a case of crew abandonment as the union’s representatives work to make sure the stranded crew has ample provisions and water. The case is made worse according to the ITF as the vessel is currently anchored near a busy seaway and by the fact that the ship has had repeated claims of not paying and providing for its crew. Steve Trowsdale, Inspectorate Coordinator at the ITF, is warning...

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