Major Cleanup in Gulf of Mexico After Crude Spill at US Deepwater VLCC Hub

Cleanup operations are in full swing off the coast of Louisiana after a crude oil spill linked to the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), the United States’ only deepwater terminal capable of fully loading and unloading VLCCs.

A Unified Command comprising the US Coast Guard, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office and LOOP has been overseeing the response since the discharge was detected near the offshore facility on 26 February 2026. Latest estimates put the spill at around 31,500 gallons (about 750 barrels) of crude, with roughly 26,000–28,000 gallons already recovered and the source of the leak secured following an offshore mechanical failure.

As of early March, more than 330–460 responders, 40–60 vessels and tens of thousands of feet of containment and recovery boom have been deployed across the affected area near Grand Isle and Port Fourchon, supported by fixed‑wing aircraft, helicopters and drones for aerial surveillance. Authorities have reported limited wildlife impact so far—fewer than 20 oiled birds—and are continuing shoreline assessments and environmental monitoring while advising mariners to avoid the area and follow Coast Guard broadcast updates.