NEW ORLEANS -- BP says oil has stopped leaking into the Gulf for the first time since April.
BP has been slowly dialing down the flow as part of a test on a new cap. Engineers are now monitoring the pressure to see if the busted well holds.
Sun Herald
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Environment. Show all posts
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
BP to commit up to $500M to research Gulf spill
COVINGTON, La. -- BP PLC says it will spend up to $500 million to research the effects of the growing Gulf of Mexico oil spill on the marine and shoreline environment.
The company, which leased the rig and is responsible for the cleanup, said Monday that the 10-year research program will study the effects of the oil. It also will study chemical dispersants used to break up oil on the seabed and along the shore.
The program also aims to study the impact of the dispersant on the oil and ways to improve technology to detect oil and clean up the ooze.
BP chief executive Tony Hayward says the research into the monthlong spill "will be a key part of the process of restoration, and for improving the industry response capability for the future."
Sun Herald
The company, which leased the rig and is responsible for the cleanup, said Monday that the 10-year research program will study the effects of the oil. It also will study chemical dispersants used to break up oil on the seabed and along the shore.
The program also aims to study the impact of the dispersant on the oil and ways to improve technology to detect oil and clean up the ooze.
BP chief executive Tony Hayward says the research into the monthlong spill "will be a key part of the process of restoration, and for improving the industry response capability for the future."
Sun Herald
Monday, May 17, 2010
Ocean Springs and Biloxi are being proactive to protect the waterways
I'm thrilled to see Mayors Moran and Holloway pushing to protect these waters. I've not paddled all the waters down there, yet. But plenty enough to know that if this spill gets into the back bays and marshes the environmental damage will result in decades of problems.
Lucy's Revenge kicks off in Ocean Springs on Old Fort Bayou on July 10. So, I am watching this close. It is very comforting to know we have such great leaders down there.
Lucy's Revenge kicks off in Ocean Springs on Old Fort Bayou on July 10. So, I am watching this close. It is very comforting to know we have such great leaders down there.
Two cities plan for worstRead more: The Sun Herald
OCEAN SPRINGS — Mayor Connie Moran said she isn’t waiting for a knight in shining armor to Ocean Spring’s rescue as the city did after Hurricane Katrina and Monday city will submit a $3 million action plan to protect the marshes from oil that might come ashore from the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Ocean Springs joins Biloxi, which on Friday asked the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources for $2.99 million to pay for police, firefighters, engineering and other personnel to take care of everything from traffic control to hazard response. The funding is for 8 months and could change depending on what type of cleanup ultimately is needed, the administration said.
Tar balls continued to be found on the beaches of South Mississippi over the weekend. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality had recovered 60 tar balls from Harrison and Hancock counties and none from Jackson County. There was no oil sheen in Mississippi waters and no fish kills reported.
On Sunday, Hancock County emergency operations center director Brian Adam reported six or seven hard tar balls were found on the beach between the Bay St. Louis Bridge and the St. Stanislaus Pier.
Harrison County Emergency Management Director Rupert Lacy said tar balls continue to be found on Harrison County beaches and are being analyzed to determine which well they came from.
He said residents can expect to continue to find a few tar balls on the beach.
Moran said Ocean Springs hasn’t had any signs of oil on its shores but she is not going to leave the details to BP, which is focused on stopping the leak.
The city will use the $3 million to hire its own environmental engineers and protect the many marshes with a more substantial barrier than the “flimsy” boom Moran said now in place.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Sun Herald: Coast holds its breath
BILOXI — Gov. Haley Barbour on Wednesday said Mississippi has been lucky, but the state can’t count on its good fortune to last, particularly if south winds continue to blow on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Barbour called for more people to join the 9,000 who have volunteered to help so far in the event the area has to be cleaned up from the massive spill.
“We have prayed for the best, but prepared for the worst,” Barbour said. “So far, our prayers have been answered, but we are not assuming that we’re not going to have more movement in our direction, particularly with the wind being out of the south right now. If it stays that way for several days, we could have an incursion onto our area.”
If the oil breaches Mississippi’s protections, Barbour said much help will be needed. He urged residents to sign up for the required hazmat training now. He said four hours of training are needed for those who just want to help, but anyone interested in supervising the cleanup will have to take 40 hours of hazmat training. If the oil arrives, those volunteers would need to be deployed quickly.
Barbour would like to see more boats signed up to work alongside the 315 vessels enrolled to help with the cleanup.
Barbour also echoed local officials, saying the Mississippi Coast is still open for business, despite perceptions the widely covered oil spill has created.
He said some media reports are comparing it with the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill; this has led to canceled vacations and charter boat trips, hurting the economy.
“Let me just tell you a fact — our waters, our barrier islands, our beaches, our golf courses are just like they were a month ago,” Barbour said. “They are just like they were before this oil well blew out. The oil well is 108 miles south of Gulfport and there hasn’t been any oil anywhere near where the tourists would go.”
Read more: The Sun Herald
Barbour called for more people to join the 9,000 who have volunteered to help so far in the event the area has to be cleaned up from the massive spill.
“We have prayed for the best, but prepared for the worst,” Barbour said. “So far, our prayers have been answered, but we are not assuming that we’re not going to have more movement in our direction, particularly with the wind being out of the south right now. If it stays that way for several days, we could have an incursion onto our area.”
If the oil breaches Mississippi’s protections, Barbour said much help will be needed. He urged residents to sign up for the required hazmat training now. He said four hours of training are needed for those who just want to help, but anyone interested in supervising the cleanup will have to take 40 hours of hazmat training. If the oil arrives, those volunteers would need to be deployed quickly.
Barbour would like to see more boats signed up to work alongside the 315 vessels enrolled to help with the cleanup.
Barbour also echoed local officials, saying the Mississippi Coast is still open for business, despite perceptions the widely covered oil spill has created.
He said some media reports are comparing it with the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill; this has led to canceled vacations and charter boat trips, hurting the economy.
“Let me just tell you a fact — our waters, our barrier islands, our beaches, our golf courses are just like they were a month ago,” Barbour said. “They are just like they were before this oil well blew out. The oil well is 108 miles south of Gulfport and there hasn’t been any oil anywhere near where the tourists would go.”
Read more: The Sun Herald
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
County to apply for oil-spill grant funds
Mississippi Business Journal
JACKSON COUNTY — Jackson County supervisors say they will apply for a share of the $25-million grant given to the state by BP PLC.
BP gave Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida $25 million each to help pay for cleanup and mitigation efforts for the Gulf Coast oil spill.
Supervisors said yesterday that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Marine Resources will administer the grants. The agencies have asked coastal counties and municipalities to apply for the funds by presenting a list of needed materials.
Board president Mike Mangum told The Mississippi Press that local governments that receive approval can purchase materials such as booms and boats and later be reimbursed.
JACKSON COUNTY — Jackson County supervisors say they will apply for a share of the $25-million grant given to the state by BP PLC.
BP gave Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida $25 million each to help pay for cleanup and mitigation efforts for the Gulf Coast oil spill.
Supervisors said yesterday that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Marine Resources will administer the grants. The agencies have asked coastal counties and municipalities to apply for the funds by presenting a list of needed materials.
Board president Mike Mangum told The Mississippi Press that local governments that receive approval can purchase materials such as booms and boats and later be reimbursed.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Dead dolphins wash up on coast; oil's role unclear
Associated Press
SHIP ISLAND, Miss. — Federal wildlife officials are treating the deaths of six dolphins on the Gulf Coast as oil-related even though other factors may be to blame.
Blair Mase (MACE') of the National Marine Fisheries Service said Tuesday that the carcasses have all been found in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama since May 2. Samples have been sent for testing to see whether a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico helped kill the dolphins.
Mase and animal rescue coordinator Michele Kelley in Louisiana said none of the carcasses has obvious signs of oil. Mase also said it's common for dead dolphins to wash up this time of year when they are in shallow waters to calve.
The Associated Press found dolphins swimming and playing in oily waters off Louisiana last week.
Cross Posted at The Flora Harvester
SHIP ISLAND, Miss. — Federal wildlife officials are treating the deaths of six dolphins on the Gulf Coast as oil-related even though other factors may be to blame.
Blair Mase (MACE') of the National Marine Fisheries Service said Tuesday that the carcasses have all been found in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama since May 2. Samples have been sent for testing to see whether a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico helped kill the dolphins.
Mase and animal rescue coordinator Michele Kelley in Louisiana said none of the carcasses has obvious signs of oil. Mase also said it's common for dead dolphins to wash up this time of year when they are in shallow waters to calve.
The Associated Press found dolphins swimming and playing in oily waters off Louisiana last week.
Cross Posted at The Flora Harvester
Monday, May 10, 2010
BP to offer training in conjunction with OSHA and the Coast Guard.
Health, Safety and Environmental Training has been a key focus to properly prepare those interested in participating in shoreline clean up. The training is fit-for-purpose based on whether you are a volunteer, contractor or vessel owner. The Post-Emergency Spilled Oil Response Training Modules were prepared by Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), with review and approval provided by BP, Occupational Safety & Health Administration and US Coast Guard personnel.
The training is for those registered in the Vessel of Opportunity program or as a contractor who wants to participate in clean up. The non-contaminated beach clean up "volunteers" will receive a basic BP health, safety & environmental orientation which as been endorsed by OSHA and the the Coast Guard.
To be included as a volunteer, please contact the BP volunteer hotline at 866-448-5816. Your contact information will be gathered and you will contacted when opportunities arise in your area. If you are interested in assisting in shoreline oil spill clean up operations, and you live in one of the coastal states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or Florida), you can request placement in a spill response course by emailing Horizonresponse@pecpremier.com
This course is not a guarantee of employment but provides credentials needed to be hired for spill cleanup work by BP contractors.
For more up to date information, visit http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/
The training is for those registered in the Vessel of Opportunity program or as a contractor who wants to participate in clean up. The non-contaminated beach clean up "volunteers" will receive a basic BP health, safety & environmental orientation which as been endorsed by OSHA and the the Coast Guard.
To be included as a volunteer, please contact the BP volunteer hotline at 866-448-5816. Your contact information will be gathered and you will contacted when opportunities arise in your area. If you are interested in assisting in shoreline oil spill clean up operations, and you live in one of the coastal states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or Florida), you can request placement in a spill response course by emailing Horizonresponse@pecpremier.com
This course is not a guarantee of employment but provides credentials needed to be hired for spill cleanup work by BP contractors.
For more up to date information, visit http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/
Saturday, May 8, 2010
BP officials say containment dome is running into problems.
Saturday May 8, 2010--BP officials provided an update on current efforts to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico today. According to the company announcement, the attempts to place the containment dome have so far been unsuccessful.
“As we had expressed numerous times, this particular operation has never been done before at this depth and a significant technical challenge was with hydrate formation,” read the company statement.
The statement described hydrate formation as a chemical process when gas combines with water under certain pressure and temperatures that form as crystals, similar to ice.
The dome was lowered to the sea floor yesterday evening. However, as workers began to place it over the source of the leak, a large volume of hydrates formed inside the top of the dome, requiring it to be moved to the side of the leak point. The dome is currently sitting on the sea bed while technicians evaluate options to deal with the hydrate issue.
The company is also simultaneously investigating other techniques to control the source of flow and ultimately stop the source of flow. These include activities utilizing the existing blowout preventer to stop the flow. Additional data will be gathered to see if these options are viable and that work will continue over the next 48 hours. The relief well drilling continues and is at approximately 9,000 feet below the surface of the water and making progress ahead of plan.
BP officials say the company has also deployed over 130,000 feet of boom on Friday alone; approaching a million feet deployed with over 2.3 million additional feet, either coming from existing stocks in the US and other countries to fight the spread of oil already spreading from the leak site.
“We have oil around Chandelier Island, LA and our cleanup teams are responding,” read the statement.
There were five successful offshore burns Friday, and skimming operations skimmed over 17,500 barrels of an oily water mix.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)