Assessment and Restoration of a Condensate Spill in the Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana

ABSTRACT Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. (Pioneer) experienced a gas well blowout on December 5, 1996 at Myette Point within a lacustrine delta in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin. For a period of 5 days, gas condensate erupted from the well head, covering the surrounding bottomland hardwood forest. Over the next 6 weeks, oil spill response contractors recovered gas condensate from access canals, distributary channels, and small ponds. The total volume spilled was estimated at 4,700 barrels. The state of Louisiana issued a letter of intent to conduct a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) to determine a plan of restoration to the impacted bottomland hardwood forest. Pioneer worked cooperatively with Louisiana's Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (lead agency), Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources, and the Oil Spill coordinator's Office to conduct a cooperative NRDA. A Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team (SCAT) survey was conducted to map the surface oiling cover. A cl...