ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – A dredge contractor working for the Army Corps of Engineers hit a submerged oil matt Saturday morning causing a strong odor and oily sheen in the area of Outcast Marina, a city official said.

“Apparently about 5 o’clock the Corps became aware, the dredge contractor and the Corps site superintendent became aware that they hit what appears to be, or dug into what appears to be a submerged oil matt that’s been covered for some time,” Coastal Resources Manager Phillip West said Saturday morning.  “From what I understand they immediately moved off that site but they uncovered up with seems to be a good amount of oil. I don’t know how to quantify it.”

West said city officials have taken samples to be tested to find the origin of the oil.

“We have water samples and seaweed samples that appear to have an oily substance on it to be sent to Auburn to be tested,” he said. “They hit some oil, released some, don’t know how much. Don’t know if that was all of it or just a small part of it.”