During the peak of the BP / Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf, we found an unrelated leak in the vicinity. We noticed a small but persistent slick on satellite images from multiple dates, originating near the location of Platform 23051, operated by Taylor Energy. Photographer J Henry Fair flew over the location and found, not a platform, but a semisubmersible drill rig on the site, and a visible oil slick trailing off into the distance. We learned that the rig, the Ocean Saratoga, was working to plug 26 wells that had been damaged by Hurricane Ivan back in 2004 and have presumably been leaking steadily ever since. The former platform on this location is gone - toppled by Ivan, or damaged to the point where it was removed (we still don't know what happened to it).
The Chronology for the chronic oil leak at Site 23051 has been moved.
See also our February 2012 Site 23051 Cumulative Spill Report
