New Orleans, LALess than two weeks after the BP oil spill was capped in the Gulf of Mexico, a wellhead in the inland waterways of Louisiana, near New Orleans, was hit by a tugboat early this morning and began spewing oil 20 feet up in the air.
According to a report on MSNBC.com, the wellhead is located on the border of Plaquemines and Jefferson parishes, roughly 65 miles south of New Orleans, in a marsh area not accessible by road. Chris Roberts, a Jefferson Parish Councilman, told WWL-TV in New Orleans that "there is a pretty good amount of oil flowing there."
Emergency crews were at the site assessing how best to deal with the oil spill. There is also concern that the well is leaking natural gas, as boats nearby have reported seeing a gas cloud and oil on the water near the wellhead.
The tugboat hit the wellhead before dawn, and the captain reportedly called in the incident immediately. The leak was called in later by another boat.