Deepwater Horizon Update July 1, 2010
Today: A live interview with Bob Dudley, President and CEO of BP's Gulf Coast Restoration organization. Viewers will be able to submit questions directly to BP. The interview will stream live at 2:30 pm CDT / 8.30 pm BST. Follow the Interview on YouTube
To watch an overview of relief well operations click here
World's largest skimmer arrives in Gulf
A ship described as the world's largest oil skimming vessel has arrived in the Gulf of Mexico, but was awaiting approval to begin work in cleaning up the oil disaster, according to a spokesman for the Taiwanese company that owns it. The ship, the length of 3 1/2 football fields and 10 stories high, is designed to collect up to 500,000 barrels of oily water a day through 12 vents on either side of its bow.
The A Whale arrived in the Gulf on Wednesday, the Coast Guard said. It was anchored in Boothville, Lousiana, about an hour south of New Orleans. A team has been formulated to assess the A Whale's ability to collect oil as well as its ability to maneuver at slow speeds.
The vessel will need a contract with BP before it begins working. If the federal on scene coordinator determines the A Whale would be useful, contract negotiations will begin, subject to the coordinator's approval of funding.
Ship leaves South Florida to study oil spill effects on fish
In an effort to assess spill impacts a NOAA research ship will leave Miami Beach to count baby bluefin tuna in the gulf and the loop current. The NANCY FOSTER will be among the first research vessels to explore the impacts of the spill away from the spill site and underneath the surface. Researchers onboard will take deep-water samples from the loop current and will sample water from the Florida Straits up to the northern gulf at all depths. For the Atlantic bluefin, already depleted by as much as 90 percent from overfishing, the spill came at the worst time and in the worst place -- the peak of a short spawning season in the heart of the primary breeding grounds.
Coast Guard Flyover with WKRG
The Ongoing Administration-Wide Response to the Deepwater BP Oil Spill
Prepared by the Joint Information Center: UPDATED June 30, 2010 7 PM
In the Past 24 Hours:
The President Outlines Long-Term Coordination Plan for Gulf Coast Restoration
President Obama sent a memorandum to the heads of Executive Departments and Agencies regarding the Long-Term Gulf Coast Restoration Support Plan—outlining ways in which Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will coordinate with leaders across the administration and the White House, along with states, local communities, tribes, people whose livelihoods depend on the Gulf, businesses, conservationists, scientists and others to create a plan of federal support for the long-term economic and environmental restoration of the Gulf Coast region. The memorandum is available here.
Senior Administration Officials and Scientists Meet With BP on Oil Containment Efforts
As part of ongoing efforts to engage the brightest minds from across the federal government, academia and the private sector in the response to the BP oil spill, senior administration officials including Secretary Salazar, Secretary Chu, Secretary Napolitano, Carol Browner and Admiral Thad Allen, met with members of the federal science team and BP officials to discuss the progress of additional well containment options and the status of relief well drilling efforts. The meeting was held at the Department of the Interior. Senior government officials will meet with President Obama tomorrow to review the oil spill situation and discuss plans moving forward.
Admiral Allen Provides Operational Update on the BP Oil Spill Response
National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen provided a briefing to inform the American public and answer questions on the progress of the administration-wide response to the BP oil spill. A transcript is available here.
Rear Admiral Zukunft Provides Update on the Effects of Current Weather
Coast Guard Rear Adm. Paul Zukunft provided an update on the effects of severe weather on response efforts. Because of elevated sea states, response crews have not been able to conduct skimming or controlled burn operations; increased wave heights have caused boom to break apart in some areas. Sea states have also delayed the connection of the third vessel, the Helix Producer, to the floating riser pipe—which will bring collection capacity up to 53,000 barrels a day. Storm surges could cause oil to be pushed further into inland areas. The Coast Guard is monitoring the flow of oil and is prepared to deploy additional resources if inland areas are impacted. Weather has not had any impact on the drilling of relief wells.
EPA Releases First Round of Toxicity Testing Data for Eight Oil Dispersants
The Environmental Protection Agency today released peer reviewed results from the first round of its own independent toxicity testing on eight oil dispersants. EPA conducted testing to ensure that decisions about ongoing dispersant use in the Gulf of Mexico continue to be grounded in the best available science. Additional testing is needed to further inform the use of dispersants. For more information, click here.
NOAA Adds Two Ships to Fleet of Scientific Research Vessels
A NOAA research ship and a university-owned vessel are conducting two complementary studies to gather data on the Loop Current and area ecosystems in response to the BP oil spill. NOAA Ship Nancy Foster—one of six NOAA-owned ships supporting the oil spill response effort—began a two-week survey in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits.
The R/V Savannah, operated by the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah, Ga., is sailing through the Florida Keys and western Florida shelf as part of a long-term bimonthly sampling effort for NOAA’s South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Program that has been modified to collect samples to check for the presence of oil in the region.
Labor Department Announces $27 Million to Aid Workers Affected by the Oil Spill
The Department of Labor today announced a total of $27 million in National Emergency Grant awards to Gulf Coast states to assist workers who have been displaced as a result of the BP oil spill—for job placement, skills training and career counseling. The funds are being awarded to workforce agencies in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi—states experiencing economic hardship as a result of wage decline and job loss in the shrimping, fishing, hospitality and tourism industries.
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BP Continues to Optimize Oil Recovery Rates from its Leaking Well
Under the direction of the federal government, BP continues to capture some oil and burn gas at the surface using its containment dome technique—collecting oil aboard the Discoverer Enterprise, which is linked by a fixed riser pipe to the wellhead, and flaring off additional oil and gas on the Q4000, which is connected to the choke line. The collection capacity is expected to increase to an estimated 53,000 barrels once the third vessel, the Helix Producer, is connected to the floating riser pipe—a redundancy measure also taken at the administration’s direction.
Progress Continues in Drilling Relief Wells; Ranging Process Continues
The Development Driller III has drilled the first relief well to a depth of approximately 16,900 feet below the surface. The Development Driller II has drilled the second relief well—a redundancy measure taken at the direction of the administration—to a depth of more than 12,000 feet below the Gulf surface. BP continues the “ranging” process—which involves periodically withdrawing the drill pipe and sending an electrical signal down to determine how close they are getting to the wellbore.
Approved SBA Economic Injury Assistance Loans Top $8.5 Million
SBA has approved 128 economic injury assistance loans to date, totaling more than $8.5 million for small businesses in the Gulf Coast impacted by the BP oil spill. Additionally, the agency has granted deferments on 531 existing SBA disaster loans in the region, totaling more than $2.6 million per month in payments. For information on assistance loans for affected businesses, visit the SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance, call (800) 659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the hearing impaired), or email [email protected].
In the Past 24 Hours:
Vice President Biden Travels to Gulf Coast to Assess Response Efforts
Vice President Joe Biden visited New Orleans and Pensacola, Fla., to survey the response efforts, visit with Gulf Coast residents impacted by the spill, and meet with area officials.
Biden visited the Unified Area Command to receive a briefing on response efforts and tour the facility. He was joined by National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Federal On-Scene Coordinator Rear Admiral James Watson, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao.
The Vice President also made a stop at Pomes Seafood, an eastern New Orleans seafood wholesaler, where he met with Gulf Coast residents impacted by the spill. Biden then traveled to Florida and visited the Naval Air Station Pensacola.
Secretary Salazar and Director Bromwich Hold Fifth Meeting with Oil and Gas Industry
Federal and Local Officials Hold Joint Open House Meeting in Iberia Parish
As part of continued efforts to inform Louisiana residents on the BP oil spill response and available assistance, representatives from the Coast Guard, Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, and state and local governments held their sixth joint open house meeting in Iberia Parish in New Iberia, La.
Experts from the various agencies participating in the BP oil spill response were on hand to discuss a variety of topics with Parish residents—including the claims process, volunteer and contracting opportunities, environmental quality, worker safety and the various tools, equipment and strategies being used in the response. Previous meetings were held in Cameron Parish, St. Bernard Parish, Jefferson Parish, St. Mary’s Parish and Orleans Parish.
BP Continues to Optimize Oil Recovery Rates from its Leaking Well
Under the direction of the federal government, BP continues to capture some oil and burn gas at the surface using its containment dome technique—collecting oil aboard the Discoverer Enterprise, which is linked by a fixed riser pipe to the wellhead, and flaring off additional oil and gas on the Q4000, which is connected to the choke line. The collection capacity is expected to increase to an estimated 53,000 barrels once the third vessel, the Helix Producer, arrives on scene—a redundancy measure also taken under the direction of the federal government.
By the Numbers to Date:
* The administration has authorized the deployment of 17,500 National Guard troops from Gulf Coast states to respond to this crisis; currently, 1,605 are active.
* Approximately 42,700 personnel are currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife and cleanup vital coastlines.
* More than 6,800 vessels are currently responding on site, including skimmers, tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and cleanup efforts—in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.
* Approximately 2.76 million feet of containment boom and 4.92 million feet of sorbent boom have been deployed to contain the spill—and approximately 856,000 feet of containment boom and 2.04 million feet of sorbent boom are available.
* More than 28.2 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered.
* Approximately 1.61 million gallons of total dispersant have been applied—1.03 million on the surface and 577,000 sub-sea. More than 504,000 gallons are available.
* 275 controlled burns have been conducted, efficiently removing a total of approximately 10 million gallons of oil from the open water in an effort to protect shoreline and wildlife. Because calculations on the volume of oil burned can take more than 48 hours, the reported total volume may not reflect the most recent controlled burns.
* 17 staging areas are in place to protect sensitive shorelines.
* Approximately 423 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline is currently oiled—approximately 259 miles in Louisiana, 48 miles in Mississippi, 47 miles in Alabama, and 69 miles in Florida. These numbers reflect a daily snapshot of shoreline currently experiencing impacts from oil so that planning and field operations can more quickly respond to new impacts; they do not include cumulative impacts to date, or shoreline that has already been cleared.
* Approximately 80,228 square miles of Gulf of Mexico federal waters remain closed to fishing in order to balance economic and public health concerns. More than 66 percent remains open. Details can be found at http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/.
* To date, the administration has leveraged assets and skills from numerous foreign countries and international organizations as part of this historic, all-hands-on-deck response, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization and the European Union's Monitoring and Information Centre.