Oxy, Talos, others shut offshore production following Gulf of Mexico oil spill

(Bloomberg) – Occidental Petroleum Corp, W&T Offshore Inc and Talos Energy are among oil drillers that shut offshore production following an oil spill in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Producers halted about 62,000 bpd after a subsea pipeline ruptured and leaked 26,000 boe into the Gulf of Mexico near Louisiana.

Other companies affected are Walter Oil & Gas Corp, Cantium LLC and Arena Offshore LLC, according to a statement from the U.S. Coast Guard, citing data from the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. None of the companies immediately responded to a request for comment.

The companies won’t restart pumping until the source of the leak is secured and appropriate repairs have been made, the Coast Guard said in a statement. The spill was first reported on Thursday, when pipeline operator Main Pass Oil Gathering Co. reported a drop in pipe pressure. It’s unclear if Main Pass is the source of the spill, as there are multiple operators in the area. However, the Coast Guard has dubbed the incident as MPOG 11015, in reference to the company.