Clean Gulf Associates adds advanced response vessel

The J.L. O'Brien is named after the legendary James (Jim) L. O'Brien who pioneered professional oil spill response management for over 40 years

FEBRUARY 3, 2017 —New Orleans based non-profit oil spill response cooperative Clean Gulf Associates, Inc. has added a new 95-ft rapid response vessel to its assets.

The vessel, the J.L. O’Brien, is the fourth in a series of 95-foot offshore oil spill recovery vessels constructed by Midship Marine, Inc’s. Harvey, LA, shipyard for CGA to help ensure a speedy and efficient response to future oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.

The new vessel will be prepositioned in Leeville, LA to help anchor spill response readiness all along the Gulf Coast. The O’Brien represent a $5 million investment in new CGA response resources designated for the Gulf of Mexico.

“In order to stay fully responsive, CGA is continuously improving and expanding our equipment inventory and response fleets with the latest technology to ensure the protection of the Gulf Coast, our marine habitat and commercial and recreational fisheries resources in the event of an oil spill related incident,” said Captain Frank Paskewich, President of Clean Gulf Associates, Inc., which has played a leading role in responding to and preparing for oil spills in the Gulf and along the coast since 1972.

The J.L. O’Brien is the first oil spill response vessel designed with
advanced Seakeeper gyrostabilizer technology that reduces the vessel’s rolling motion by up to 75%, allowing for productive skimming in rougher seas.

The Seakeeper is a computer controlled gyroscope that provides counter-torque to the natural rolling motion of the vessel thereby reducing crew fatigue, anxiety, and seasickness.

Additionally, the more stable platform will allow for skimming in increased sea states.

Like the first three vessels, the O’Brien is Coast Guard certified with overnight accommodations for a crew of six and is outfitted with the technologically advanced Aptomar-Rutter integrated X-Band Radar and Infrared oil spill detection systems allowing for 24-hour oil skimming operations. In addition, The O’Brien is equipped with two, three brush Lamor side mounted skimmers with an effective daily recovery capacity of 22,885 barrels of oil per day and 249 barrels of recovered oil storage and has a 3500-gallon fuel capacity for extended offshore response.

The O’Brien is named after the legendary James (Jim) L. O’Brien who pioneered professional oil spill response management for over 40 years. Jim passed away in 2014.

According to Capatin Paskewich, “Jim O’Brien is the most iconic oil spill response planning and management professional of all time. During his career-spanning 45 years, Jim continuously displayed energy and passion when planning and formulating the most efficient and effective strategies and tactics to respond to an oil spill. Through his experience, reputation, and dedication, he positively influenced thousands of people throughout the response industry.”

CGA’s many spill response resources include the first purpose – built turbo prop dispersant aircraft, which it funded in 2009, water containment and clean-up equipment such as four 46′ Fast Response Vessels, twelve portable self-contained skimming Fast Response Units and 11 sets of rigid sweeping Koseq arms to be deployed on large offshore supply vessels, a $10 million High Volume Open Sea Skimmer system (HOSS) which is one of the most advanced long duration offshore oil spill collection systems in the world, and two different ground breaking shallow water skimmers for shallow water operations such as in bays, bayous, marshes and lakes.

In addition to this equipment, CGA also owns and stocks over 10 miles of ocean containment boom, and has robust wildlife rehabilitation capability.

Today, CGA serves 100 member companies in the pipeline and oil and gas exploration and production industries operating throughout the Gulf Coast. CGA owns and operates more than $50 million in spill response equipment and technology and operates out of eght coastal bases throughout the Gulf region from Aransas Pass, TX, to Venice, LA.