Roberto Alps assisting in effort to stop oil leak in Gulf of Mexico

Roberto Alps of Friday Harbor spent six weeks in the Gulf of Mexico assisting in the effort to stop the ocean-floor oil leak there. The leak was caused by an oil rig explosion April 20. An estimated 20 million to 40 million gallons of oil have gushed from the wellhead as of Wednesday, far surpassing the 11 million that leaked in the Exxon Valdez disaster, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

June 2, 2010 1:48 pm
Roberto Alps ... assisting in effort to stop oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
Roberto Alps ... assisting in effort to stop oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

Roberto Alps of Friday Harbor spent six weeks in the Gulf of Mexico assisting in the effort to stop the ocean-floor oil leak there.

The leak was caused by an oil rig explosion April 20. An estimated 20 million to 40 million gallons of oil have gushed from the wellhead as of Wednesday, far surpassing the 11 million that leaked in the Exxon Valdez disaster, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Alps returned home this week after a six-week stint in the gulf as chief mate of the HOS Strongline, a 381-foot multi-purpose service vessel. The vessel is part of Hornbeck Offshore’s fleet, which serves the offshore oil industry.

Alps said he will return to the gulf in two weeks.