Crews working to cap abandoned oil well spewing near Gulf after barge hit it

Crews work to cap new La. oil leak near Gulf

NEW ORLEANS — Oil, natural gas and water are still spewing from an abandoned well hit by a barge on a Louisiana waterway near the Gulf of Mexico.

Coast Guard Capt. John Arenstam says a wild well company is working on a plan to shut down the well, which is north of Barataria Bay and has been leaking since early Tuesday.

Authorities had already been working there to avoid contamination from the much larger BP oil spill in the Gulf. Arenstam expects the company to present its shutdown plan at some point Wednesday.

It’s not clear how much oil has spewed from the damaged wellhead but local officials say it’s a minuscule amount compared to the BP spill.

The Coast Guard says a towboat was pushing the barge on Mud Lake when it hit the wellhead. The towboat captain told investigators the well was not lit as required.