More than 2,300 shrimpers, seafood businesses, and boat owners from across the Gulf Coast have filed a federal lawsuit against two companies over a 2022 oil spill off Louisiana’s coast that coincided with the first day of shrimping season.
🛢️ The Incident
The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court in Houston, centers on a spill that occurred on August 8, 2022. According to the complaint, a storage tank on Hilcorp’s offshore platform north of Timbalier Island collapsed after being allegedly damaged by WCC during an oil transfer. The plaintiffs claim Hilcorp failed to properly inspect the tank, which partially gave way and released approximately 14,000 gallons of oil into the Gulf.
The oil slick spread into Lake Pelto, a key fishing area southwest of Cocodrie, prompting state officials to shut down around 33 square miles to oyster harvesting. Shrimpers say the contamination fears disrupted their season and caused widespread uncertainty.
🦐 Industry Fallout
Kimberly Chauvin, co-owner of David Chauvin Shrimp Company in Dulac, voiced the shrimping community’s concerns in the lawsuit and in a statement to the Houma Courier:
Of the 2,300 plaintiffs, roughly 200 are based in Louisiana, with the rest spread across the Gulf Coast.
🧪 Company Response
Hilcorp, headquartered in Houston, said its automated systems shut down the platform immediately upon detecting the spill and that it promptly notified local, state, and federal agencies. The company also hired a third-party lab to test shrimp from the area, which it claims were found safe for consumption.
WCC has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, and attorney Richard J. Nava, who represents the plaintiffs, declined to comment.
📜 Legal Claims
The plaintiffs accuse Hilcorp and WCC of negligence and violations of the federal Oil Pollution Act and state environmental laws. They are seeking compensation for lost income, damage to boats and gear, and restoration of affected fishing areas. They also want the companies to take action to repair the reputational harm done to Terrebonne Bay and Louisiana’s seafood industry.
🧯 Hilcorp’s History
Hilcorp, one of the largest privately held oil firms in the U.S., has faced scrutiny before. After Hurricane Ida in 2021, the company reported more than a dozen spills in Louisiana. In 2018, it paid $920,000 to settle claims that it dredged through oyster reefs without proper permits.