| Past Updates about DEEPWATER HORIZON Oil Spill

Past Updates about DEEPWATER HORIZON Oil Spill

All information listed on this page is solely for informational archival purposes.

The City of Ocean Springs is no longer currently updating our website daily about The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

The beaches and waters are no longer closed.

Administration-Wide Response Summary to the Deepwater BP Oil Spill

Statement from National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen on Well Integrity Test

Oil Impact Assessment Map (Houma)

Oil Impact Assessment Map (Mobile)

NOAA Trajectory Maps

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Mississippi Oil Spill Response Updates

BILOXI–The following are upcoming actions and a summary of Mississippi’s and British Petroleum’s responses to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico:

MS Department of Environmental Quality:

Continue State Emergency Response Team assessments and respond to any oil related reports along the Mississippi Coast.
Continue to conduct State Coastline Assessment Team beach assessments.
Respond to air observation and public complaints.

BP:

A long-term containment manifold is en route to the site and will be staged pending the success or failure of other containment efforts.
Riser Insertion Tube Tools, another form of containment, are staged along the sea floor pending the effectiveness of top cap and top hat operations.
Three top hats are currently placed on the sea bed pending the effectiveness of other operations.

MS Military Department:

Continuing to develop a state contingency plan.
The Mississippi National Guard will continue to conduct utility helicopter flights to reconnaissance location and condition of boom.

Current public announcements:

A total of 4,034 Mississippians have filed claims with BP, and $5,519,208.23 has been paid out.
The MDEQ and MDMR are asking the public to AVOID handling any tar balls, and to please report tar ball locations and broken or disconnected boom by calling: (866) 448-5816.
Boom deployment: Incident Command Post in Mobile, Ala. reports that 100 percent of the area contingency plan is complete with 367,000 feet of boom deployed to protect sensitive areas along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. MDEQ and MDMR are working with BP, the responsible party for the spill, to direct the placement of the boom.

Summary of actions completed:

MS Emergency Management Agency:

MEMA has a three person team at the Area Command Center in Biloxi, two staff members in the Mobile Command Center, and one area coordinator in each coastal county’s Emergency Operations Center.

MDEQ:

Teams discovered eight dead turtles. One turtle had an oil like substance on it, but the substance could not be confirmed as oil. The turtles were collected to be tested.

Tar balls were reported in many areas along the Mississippi Coast shoreline.

MDMR:

Conducted monitoring between the barrier islands to detect the presence of any potential pollutant.

MS Military Department:

Conducted utility helicopter flight for boom reconnaissance.
Conducted flight for MDMR and MDEQ.

BP:

The top hat was placed onto the blow out preventer on Thursday, and has shown no signs of hydrate buildup. The captured oil is flowing to the ship Enterprise.
Individuals interested in specialty volunteer training should email horizonresponse@pecpremier.com to request training information from BP.
BP has opened three state community outreach offices and three Mississippi claims offices in each of the three coastal counties.

To date, 3,807 vessel owners, captains and crew members have participated in the training courses offered in Mississippi, and about 1,170 vessel owners in Mississippi have submitted charter agreements.

MS Commission for Volunteer Service:

The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Volunteer Response plan has been submitted to the governor for approval.
Currently MCVS has 3,970 volunteers registered to respond to the oil spill cleanup.
MCVS statistics: 1,701 trained volunteers – 216 volunteers participated in beach cleanup – 840 volunteer hours worked – 37 miles of beach cleaned.
A team of Mississippi Power employees received training to serve as Volunteer Coordinators for the Mississippi Wildlife Response Center. If oiled wildlife is brought to the response center, the volunteer coordinators will help organize and supervise unaffiliated volunteers assigned to the center.
Volunteer service opportunities as defined in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Volunteer Plan are now posted on the www.volunteermississippi.org website and can be viewed by interested volunteers. These pre-defined service opportunities are being shared with county emergency management agencies to facilitate requests for volunteer assistance.
The Coast Watch program has been redesigned by the Audubon Society and is now being called the Audubon Coastal Bird Survey, as a long-term, ongoing program. The initial phase of the program will remain a unified collaboration between MCVS, BP and the Audubon Society to coordinate teams across the state’s coast to observe and record area wildlife and coastal habitats using cameras and GPS devices. The initial training for these teams is limited and will be open to registered volunteers through invitation.
MCVS is working with Tri-State contracted rescue workers to provide wildlife response opportunities for volunteers. These opportunities will not involve coming in contact with oil, oil-contaminated material or oiled wildlife. Volunteers will be allowed to participate in duties such as feeding cleaned birds that have been moved in to the cold zone, and cleaning and building cages.

Small Business Administration:

The SBA has opened five Business Recovery Centers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. To file a claim or learn more call (800) 659-2955 or (800) 877-8339 for the hearing impaired, or visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

MS State Department of Health:

MSDH continues health surveillance in the three coastal counties. For more, visit their website, www.healthyms.com.

MS Department of Mental Health:

Community Health Centers are open on the coast and are prepared to help individuals affected by the oil spill.

MS Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks:

MDWFP has finished the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response training and now has 80 officers certified.

MS Board of Animal Health:

MBAH is continuing to support the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center activities in Gulfport.

Civil Air Patrol:

CAP is currently flying three missions per week for MDMR and MDEQ, and one mission per week for the U.S. Coast Guard out of Mobile.

MS Department of Employment Security:

MDES is accepting applications from Mississippi residents seeking paid oil response work at WIN Job Centers as well as online at www.mdes.ms.gov.

MS Development Authority:

All tourism-related businesses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast remain open for business.

Please check www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com for regular updates on the spill and the response.

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Click here to download the Vessels of Opportunity Charter Agreement for the BP training session.

All Mississippi territorial waters east of the Gulfport Ship channel and south of the following described line: starting at the northern most point of the Gulfport Ship Channel; thence eastward following the meanderings of the shoreline to the western abutment CSX railroad bridge in Biloxi Bay following the railroad bridge to the eastern abutment of the CSX railroad bridge; thence southeasterly following the meanderings for the shoreline to a point due north of Marsh Point in Davis Bayou; thence due south to Marsh Point; thence southeasterly following the meanderings of the shoreline to the point of intersection with the 30° 21’ North Latitude on the east side of Bellefontaine Point; thence due east following the 30° 21’ North Latitude line until it intersects the Bayou Casotte Ship Channel; thence due north to the CSX railroad; thence northeast along the CSX railroad to a point on the Mississippi/Alabama state boundary.

July 13, 2010

Current: The National Incident Command (NIC) reports total gas and oil recovered by the ENTERPRISE was 16,277 barrels of oil and 37.4 million cubic feet of gas on 28 Jun. Lightering operations from the ENTERPRISE: to the shuttle tanker MASSACHUSETTS commenced on 27 Jun. Total gas and oil recovered from the Q4000 was 8,178 barrels of oil and 18.8 million cubic feet of gas. The Sub-sea dispersant injection rate is 8 gallons per minute,12,535 gallons were injected 26 Jun. A pressure transducer has been successfully installed on one of the methanol ports on Top Hat #4; it is taking pressure readings every 15 minutes and will continue this cycle for 3 days. Drill Rig DDIII (1st relief well) drill depth is 11,141 feet below sea level. Drill Rig DDII (2nd relief well) drill depth is 6,720 feet below sea level.

Future: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts east-southeast winds at 17 – 22 knots, seas 4-6 feet and rough. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event and provide updates. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT 28 Jun.

Other: NOAA reports Tropical Depression (TD) Alex has regained tropical storm (TS) strength. TS Alex is currently located 75 miles west of Campeche, Mexico or about 696 miles south of New Orleans, LA. Moving northwest at 6 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph, with higher gusts. Open source reports the Responsible Party began evacuating non-essential personnel from three rigs located in the far south due to the approaching system – the evacuations do not apply to the DEEPWATER HORIZON oil spill response.

Current: The National Incident Command (NIC) reports the ENTERPRISE and the Q4000 recovered a total of 24,761 barrels of oil and flared 57.5 million cubic feet of gas on 6 Jul. Total oil/gas recovered/flared to date is 682,314 barrels of oil and 1,524.0 million cubic feet of gas. The Flow Rate Technical Group estimates oil discharged to date is 2.7 – 4.6 million barrels. Oily water mixture recovered to date is 681,409 barrels. Subsea dispersants were injected at a rate of 8 gallons per minute for 6 Jul. Total dispersant amount applied to date is 1,715,408 gallons (1,069,597 surface/645,811 subsea). Storms are not expected to suspend oil collection and drilling operations but will impact subsea construction work. TOP HAT currently has an 8- inch wobble as a result of sustained high seas on 6 Jul. The BOA DEEP C and HELIX PRODUCER 1 operations are on hold until the weather improves. The flange splitter system is scheduled to be on scene and pre deployed to the seabed depending on the weather. Current amount of shoreline impacted is 504.6 miles.

Future: In Situ Burns are expected to resume by 8 Jul due to weather conditions. Vessel A WHALE continues testing operations through 8 Jul; sea state may hinder testing. Containment and Disposal Project (CDP) – 1 expected to start on 9 July; delayed due to adverse weather. CDP – 2 expected to start on 19 Jul. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts southeast winds at 20 -23 knots seas at 7 – 8 feet and very rough, with a 50 percent chance of rain. Thunderstorms continue in association with a broad low pressure system centered near the northwestern Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. This system has changed little in organization over the past several hours and conditions appear to be conducive for some development (40 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Heavy rainfall and gusty winds are possible over portions of the Yucatan Peninsula today. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event and provide updates. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT 7 Jul.

Other: More than 60 rescued and rehabilitated pelicans are expected to be released 0800 EDT, 7 Jul at Fort DeSoto Park in Tampa Bay, FL. Results from 2 short term volatile organic compound readings on the Q4000 required the crew to wear respirators.

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Current: US Coast Guard (USCG) reports oil production for 13 Jun was 7,720 barrels and 16.9 million cubic feet of gas. Total collection for the TOP HAT as of 13 Jun was 127,072 barrels of oil and 262.3 million cubic feet of gas. First free-standing riser component installation is scheduled to begin 14 Jun using vessels WEST SIRIUS and HELIX. The CASCADE is on scene and ready to offload oil production from the ENTERPRISE. Suction pile (sub-sea anchor) installation is complete. Go/No Go operational meeting on the vessel Q4000 was completed 13 Jun. Minerals Management Service and Coast Guard conducted an on-site inspection of the Q4000 13 Jun finding minor issues that will be corrected prior to start up. Drill Rig DDII conducting relief well operations; drill depth 3,804 ft. below sea floor (9,022 ft. below drill floor).

Future: The RANNOCH estimated to arrive 17 Jun and will hold oil recovered by the PISCES. The HELIX PRODUCER is estimated to arrive 24 Jun and will provide oil containment. The EVI KNUTSEN estimated to arrive 26 Jun and NAVION FENNIA 30 Jun from Europe as additional collection options. Drill Ship CLEAR LEADER estimated to arrive between 27 Jun and 11 July and will provide additional oil containment capacity. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event and provide updates. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT, 14 Jun.

Other: The Unified Area Command (UAC) is scheduled to relocate today to New Orleans, LA. Three canals are closed due to the placement of boom. Oily water mixture recovered to date is 474,233 gallons. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts variable winds at 5 knots and seas 1 foot.

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Current: The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports Drill Rig DDIII casing is set at 12,057 feet, with a well depth of 13,978 feet; drilling is on day 36 of 104 (or estimated 34 percent completed). Drill Rig DDII casing is set at 8,576 feet, with a well depth of 8,650 feet; a complete diagnosis is underway

with an anticipated latch date of early next week. Daily average oil production by the ENTERPRISE is estimated at 15,082 barrels per day; methanol use as of 1200 EDT, 7 Jun is at 99 barrels. The ENTERPRISE is at capacity with offloading scheduled to take place today with the MASSACHUSETTS. One vent remains closed on the TOP HAT. Oily mixture recovered by skimming to date is 368,960 barrels. There are 22,892 response personnel assigned to the incident.

Future: In Situ Burns and skimming operations are scheduled to continue as weather permits. Drill stem test equipment is being offloaded and the burner and boom are being hooked-up; anticipated startup date is late this weekend, pending no delays. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts variable winds at 6-10 knots and seas at 1 foot. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event and provide updates. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT, 8 Jun.

Other: NOAA reports the Fishery Closure Area is 78,264 square miles (approximately 32 percent) of the Gulf of Mexico Federal Waters. All commercial and recreational fishing, including catch and release, is prohibited in the closed area; however, transit through the area is allowed. Air monitoring results show that crude oil vapors were not detected throughout residential and commercial areas between Port Arthur, Texas and Apalachee Bay, Florida. USCG reports 107 animals affected by the oil spill in the past 24 hours, totaling 1,143 animals to date.

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June 7, 2010

Current: The US Coast Guard reports Drill Rig DDIII continues drilling ahead at 13,605 feet, the next casing point is at 13,740 feet and is expected to be reached today. Drill Rig DDII (2nd relief well) is pulling up the riser and estimates to have the stack on the deck early today to begin troubleshooting the stack. Oily mixture recovered by skimming to date is 368,550 barrels.

Future: M/V Q4000 is making progress with test equipment and the sub-sea jumper is on the sea floor, but evaluating a loop in the jumper line to determine if this might have an adverse effect on future efforts. NOAA forecasts west winds at 5-8 knots and seas 1-2 feet. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event and provide updates. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT, 7 Jun.

Other: The US Government has received 21 offers of international assistance from 17 countries and 4 international organizations in the form of equipment, expertise, and general assistance. National Incident Command and State Department are coordinating an acquisition from the Government of Canada. British Petroleum has purchased other international equipment (e.g. skimmers, busters, boom, fire boom) from 14 countries.

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June 2, 2010

Current: The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the initial cutting/crimping operation using the shear ram was completed at 2030 EDT, 1 Jun 10. The second cut (with diamond saw) began at 2200 EDT, 1 Jun with an estimated time of completion of 0900 EDT this morning. Skimming operations and four in situ burns were conducted in the past 24 hours. Air dispersant operations are cancelled due to health concerns of response crews and offshore workers. The total oily water mixture recovered to date is 338,848 barrels; total surface dispersants applied to date is 758,393 gallons; and total subsea dispersants applied to date is 238,530 gallons. A total of 1,961,445 feet of boom has been assigned to date. Wildlife impacted to date totals 860 animals.

Future: The ENTERPRISE is scheduled to be in position to place CAP on the Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) at 0900 EDT today. The second generation LMRP-TOP CAP is expected to recover approximately 15,000 barrels of oil per day and scheduled to arrive on site at 0900 EDT today. Drill Rig DDII is preparing to resume drilling operations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts variable winds at 9 – 15 knots and seas at 2 – 5 feet. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT 2 Jun 10.

Other: The Department of Interior reports five platforms evacuated and wells secured. There are reports of platform personnel experiencing eye irritation, headaches, and burning of the sinuses. NOAA extended the northern boundary of the closed fishing area, leaving 69 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique teams are using detailed maps to identify and avoid impacting sensitive areas while conducting shoreline assessments.

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May 26, 2010

Current: The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the TOP KILL option started at 1400 EDT, 26 May pumping 35-65 barrels per minute. As of 0500 EDT, engineers determined that there was not enough drilling mud left on scene to continue the TOP KILL operations. Another vessel-load of the high-viscosity drilling mud was ordered to be delivered overnight. Another attempt to kill the well will begin mid-afternoon today. The Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) was removed 25 May and the ENTERPRISE has departed the scene. RITT-2 and RITT-3 remain pre-staged on the sea floor. Drill Rig DDIII’s drill depth remains at 11,100 feet below the drill floor and the casing is set and cemented. Drill Rig DDII’s drill depth remains at 8,650 below the drill floor and the casing is set and cemented. DDII moved off station to prepare for possible Blowout Preventer (BOP) Kill. Three Top Hat containment systems are on the sea floor and a fourth Top Hat is in design. In situ burns, skimming and air operations will continue today, weather permitting. One aircraft sortie was conducted in the last 24 hours. As of this morning, 7,681 barrels of oily water mix was recovered through skimming (273,726 barrels to date); 1,875,835 feet of boom has been assigned to date; 1,099 gallons of surface dispersants applied in the last 24 hours, totaling 786,087 gallons to date and 11,110 gallons of sub-sea dispersants applied, totaling 155,436 gallons to date. Seven controlled burns were conducted in the past 24 hours.

Future: The Flow rate Technical Group has not provided a flow rate estimate; however, is expected to release information later today. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts variable winds at 5-8 knots, seas at 1 foot, with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. DoD reports hydrographic surveying is in progress, to be completed on 28 May. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT.

Other: The Department of Interior reports 100.6 miles of Louisiana shoreline is now impacted by oil. The Louisiana Protective Security Advisor reports tanker vessel OMEGA EMMANUEL had her hull cleaned on 25 May, marking the first commercial vessel to undergo decontamination procedures at the Southwest Pass (over 600+ vessels have traveled through Southwest Pass unsoiled since the spill incident). It is reported, OMEGA EMMANUEL was anchored for some time in thick, heavy oil. USCG reports 73 animals impacted by oil on 26 May, totaling 685 animals, to date.

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May 20, 2010

Current: National Incident Command reports satellite imagery shows the main bulk of oil dozens of miles away from the Loop Current. A small line of light oil is close to the current, increasing the chance oil will enter it, and possibly enter the Florida Straits within 8 – 10 days. The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) remains in place with flow going to the drill ship ENTERPRISE and continues to siphon approximately 3,000 barrels per day. The barge MASSACHUSETTS will transfer oil from the ENTERPRISE to a processing facility. RITT-2 is being loaded on a vessel for deployment; RITT-3 is being designed with construction scheduled to start this week. The oil leak at the riser kink above the Blowout Preventer assembly has an additional crack leaking oil. Drill Rig DDIII drilling operations resumed today; current depth is 3,762 feet below the sea floor. Six In Situ Burn operations were conducted over the past 24 hours. Total oily water mixture recovered to date is 199,325 barrels. Surface vessels applied 3,350 gallons of dispersant, totaling 604,066 gallons to date. 3,463 gallons of subsea dispersant were applied, totaling 56,862 gallons to date. The Department of Defense reports 10 Modular Aerial Spray System flights scheduled for 19 May were cancelled due to adverse sea conditions.

Future: Commencement of Top Kill operations is set for 23 May. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts east winds at 5-10 knots, with seas at 1-2 feet . The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT, 20 May and the next Update Report will be published at 1800 EDT, 20 May.

Other: The impacted wildlife count increased by 13 animals, totaling 51 animals to date. The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announced that it has partially reopened five oyster harvesting areas in order to give harvesters as much time as possible to harvest their product before any potential impact.

May 19, 2010

Current: The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) is in place with flow going to the drill ship ENTERPRISE and continues to siphon approximately 2,000 barrels per day. Mud Mats will be deployed to the sea floor to stabilize the riser which continues to rise and fall approximately 60 feet every 2-3 minutes. The Top Hat Containment System remains on the seabed; standing-by pending effectiveness of the RITT. Top Kill equipment is being staged and operation is scheduled for deployment no sooner than 23-25 May. Oily water mixture recovered to date total 187,476 barrels. Wildlife impacted to date total 38 animals. Skimming and booming operations continue, weather permitting. The USCG Marine Safety Laboratory (MSL) confirmed that the tar balls collected from Key West, Florida did not originate from DEEPWATER HORIZON. MSL could not identify a single source of the pollutant.

Future: Drill Rig DDIII drilling operations expected to resume today; current depth remains 3,537 feet below the sea floor. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts winds to be southwest at 5 knots with seas 2 feet or less. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT, 19 May.

Other: The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports all inland Alabama waters including Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound, Perdido Bay, Wolf Bay, and Little Lagoon are closed to shrimping. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service has modified the area closed to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico: closure measures 45,728 sq mi (approximately 19 percent of the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone). All commercial and recreational fishing (including catch and release) is prohibited in the closed area, however transit through the area is allowed; the majority of Federal waters are open to commercial and recreational fishing.

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May 18. 2010

Current: US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) is in place with flow going to the drill ship ENTERPRISE. A larger RITT is being constructed to improve the siphoning process. It is siphoning off 1,000 barrels per day, about one fifth of the 5,000 barrels BP estimates to be leaking per day. The Top Hat Containment System remains on the seabed; standing-by pending effectiveness of the RITT. Top Kill equipment is being staged and operation is scheduled for deployment no sooner than 23-25 May. Recreational and commercial fishing areas remain closed in

impacted areas of the Gulf of Mexico. Four In-Situ burn operations were conducted in the last 24 hours. Oily water mixture recovered to date total 182,251 barrels. The number of wildlife impacted to date total 35 (NIC).

Future: The US Navy reports two vessel skimming systems are being shipped from Alaska with an ETA of 22 May. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts winds to be west at 5-10 knots with seas 2 feet or less. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT and an Update Report will be published at 1800 EDT, 18 May.

Other: The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports all Gulf ports remain open with no impacts to shipping lanes. No oil sheen observed in Alabama State waters. No large commercial vessels have required cleaning at decontamination stations. The Louisiana Protective Security Advisor reports minimal to no adverse impact on the many major industries dependent upon the Mississippi River. USCG District 7 reports Park Rangers from Fort Zachary State Park, Key West, Florida found tar balls on a beach 17 May 10. Tar balls were also found in Alabama and Mississippi. All samples were taken for analysis to determine the origin.

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May 17, 2010

Current: US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) is in place with flow going to the drill ship ENTERPRISE. There is no confirmation on rates yet. US Department of the Interior reports, Minerals Management Service engineers along with British Petroleum (BP) engineers are monitoring the oily/water content of the RITT process, and adjusting pressures to achieve the highest concentrations of oil being brought to the surface. On 16 May, the DDII well drill penetrated the seafloor and drilling had progressed to 253 feet below the seafloor. Top Kill equipment is being staged and operation is scheduled for 18 May. Skimming operation completed with 6,987 gallons recovered and no In-Situ burn operations conducted in the last 24 hours. On 16 May 6,600 gallons of surface dispersants were applied and 4,500 gallons of subsea dispersants were applied. There were no aircraft sorties completed on 16 May due to weather.

Future: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts winds to be west-southwest at 5-10 knots with 2-3 foot seas. There remains a chance of showers and thunderstorms for today. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT and an Update Report will be published at 1800 EDT, 17 May.

Other: There have been no new land impacts reported in the past 24 hours. Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Teams (SCAT) are sampling all oil and tar balls and clean up action is being conducted by BP’s oil spill recovery organization. The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports all Gulf ports remain open with no impacts to shipping lanes. No large commercial vessels have yet required cleaning at decontamination stations.

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May 14, 2010

Current: US Coast Guard (USCG) reports Top Kill equipment being staged; commencement of operation scheduled for 18 May. Top Hat placed on seabed 12 May; BP reports Top Hat scheduled to be functional on 14 May, weather permitting. Twelve Air Sorties were completed 12 May with 39,710 gallons of dispersant applied, covering 7,942 acres (5 gallons per acre application rate). No In Situ Burns scheduled today due to weather conditions. Twenty Modular Aerial Spray System sorties scheduled for today, weather permitting. Skimming and Booming operations are being conducted as weather permits. Drill Rig DDIII drill depth remains at a depth of 3,537 feet below the sea floor; routine drilling stoppage remains in effect due to continued riser and Blowout Preventer valve testing. To date, 125,385 barrels of oil / water mixture have been recovered (27,697 barrels on 13 May); 1,470,930 million feet of boom have been assigned; 475,957 gallons of surface dispersants and 28,709 gallons of subsea dispersants (using updated Unified Area Command deliverables) have been applied.

Future: Drill Rig DD II is scheduled to arrive today, 13 May and start drilling a 2nd well 14 – 15 May. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts southeast winds at 15 – 20 knots and 4 – 5 foot seas , diminishing to winds at 10 knots and seas at 3 – 4 feet by 15 May. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. The next Senior Leadership Brief and Update report will be published at 0600 EDT, 14 May 10.

Other: USCG reports tar balls were confirmed along a 2 mile stretch of beach at Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama (AL) and tar patties on Galveston Island, Texas (TX) and Holly Beach, Louisiana (LA); sampling being conducted to verify the source. Twenty-five miles of survey work conducted on Orange Beach, AL on 12 May; tar patties and balls were cleaned-up with more assessments / clean-ups scheduled for 13 May. USCG reported on 13 May, 4-inch tar balls along beaches in eastern AL; seasonal current shift to the south could affect TX and Mexico by August, 2010. Contradicting media reports, no tar balls were found in Destin, Florida. Shore Cleanup Assessment Team confirms reports of oil / tar onshore at Gulf Shores, AL; Blind Bay, LA; Whiskey Island, LA; and Orange Beach, AL.

May 12, 2010

Current: US Coast Guard (USCG) reports drilling operations have reached a depth of 3537 ft below the sea floor. Routine drilling stoppage implemented until further testing on riser and Blowout Preventer (BOP)Valve is conducted on the DDIII relief well. BP continues to attempt to install a pressure gauge on the BOP to get an accurate oil release amount. Oil/tar has been reported onshore at Gulf Shores, AL and Blind Bay, LA. To date, 97,688 barrels of oil /water mixture have been recovered; 1.4 million feet of boom have been assigned; 436,246 gallons of surface dispersants and 27,899 gallons of subsea dispersants have been applied . Skimming operations have been suspended due to weather. Booming operations continue , weather permitting. USCG air patrol discovered possible shoreline impact on Whiskey Island, LA and Orange Beach, AL and ground Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team are investigating today, 12 May. Air monitoring was conducted between Venice, LA and Panama City, FL to address public concerns for oil vapors; no oil vapors detected. The Transportation Security Administration continues to monitor the situation for any potential impact to transportation.

Future: The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports the Food and Drug Administration’s Chemistry Mobile Lab is scheduled to deploy on Thursday 13 May, from its current location in Davie, FL to the Florida Department of Agriculture in Tallahassee, FL. This is being coordinated with the Florida Department of Agriculture FDOA. Drill Rig DD II is scheduled to arrive Thursday, 13 May and start drilling a 2nd well on Sunday, 16 May. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts southeast winds at 12 – 15 knots and 4 – 5 foot seas over the next 48 hours. The Department of Homeland Security National Operations Center will continue to monitor this event. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT and Update Report at 1800 EDT, 12 May 10.

Other: Shipping channels / ports remain open in the Gulf Coast region. 3 CG cutters and 2 commercial vessels are outfitted with a Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System and will be deployed to the eastern side of southern tip of Louisiana to conduct oil skimming operations.

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Current: The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the second cofferdam is being designed for the same leak site; estimated completion is two weeks. British Petroleum, Houston is currently researching 4 different options (containment, Blowout Preventer, top kill, and relief wells) to contain the source leak. On 9 May, 55,932 gallons of surface dispersant was applied. Seven surface dispersant flights were conducted as of 1600 EDT 9 May. To date, 97,688 barrels of oil-water mixture have been recovered and 1,037,110 feet of boom has been assigned. No in situ burns were conducted on 9 May due to adverse wind and sea conditions. No subsea dispersant applied 9 May. Subsea dispersant sampling 3 commenced 9 May. Samples 1 and 2 were not useful. Surface dispersant, skimming and booming operations are ongoing.

Future: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts east-southeast winds at 10-15 knots over the next 48 hours and seas are forecast to be 3-4 feet offshore. The next Senior Leadership Brief and will be published at 1200 EDT 10 May. The DHS NOC will continue to monitor this event.

Other: The state of Louisiana has closed shellfish harvest areas west of the Mississippi (MS) River, in addition to Chandeleur Sound and Breton Sound (east of the MS River). The shipping channels and ports remain open in the Gulf Coast region. 3 CG cutters and 2 commercial vessel are outfitted with a Vessel of Opportunity Skimming System and will be deployed to the eastern side of southern tip of Louisiana to conduct oil skimming operations.

Background: On 21 Apr 10, the USCG reported an ongoing fire after an explosion onboard a mobile drilling platform, DEEPWATER HORIZON, off the coast of Louisiana.

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May 7, 2010

Current: The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports the first subsurface pollution containment dome is currently being lowered into position. Four In Situ Burn operations were conducted on 6 May (no volume reported). Skimming and booming operations continue. The amount of dispersants applied to date is 267,195 gallons on the surface and 15,364 gallons subsea. Subsea dispersant operations remain suspended, awaiting Environmental Protection Agency approval. The amount of boom assigned to date is 788,085 feet. 52,255 barrels of oily water mix has been recovered to date (yesterday’s number was reported higher due to overestimation). All shipping channels / ports remain open in the Gulf Coast Region. The number of reports to impacted wildlife to date is five. Despite media reporting, Houma Incident Command Post reports no confirmation of oil west of the Mississippi River and no confirmed dead jellyfish in the region.

Future: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts light winds, seas at 2 feet or less with a 10 percent chance of rain for today and tomorrow. The next cold front is forecast for Saturday, 8 May 10. A plan to prestage a second pollution containment dome on a mud mat at the seafloor at the Blowout Preventer location is being developed. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT 7May 10. The DHS NOC will continue to monitor this event.

Other: USCG reports uncontrolled release continues at 5,000 barrels of crude a day from the remaining 2 plume sources, located at the end of the riser and the riser bend at the top of the well head; no significant movement has been reported in the riser since 5 May 10. A Broadcast Notice to mariners was published warning mariners of dispersant operations encompassing the entire slick, and in locations of booming operations.

Background: On 21 Apr 10, the USCG reported an ongoing fire after an explosion onboard a mobile drilling platform, DEEPWATER HORIZON, off the coast of Louisiana.

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May 6, 2010

Current: The US Coast Guard (USCG) reports skimming operations are scheduled to continue at first light. There is sheen and pink emulsified oil on the south half to two-thirds of Chandeleur Island, in addition to a sheen on Free Mason Island. Five In Situ burn operations were conducted on 5 May (no volume reported). The amount of dispersants applied to date is 239,860 gallons on the surface and 15,364 gallons subsea. The amount of boom assigned to date is 739,560 feet. To date 44,255 barrels of oil / water mix has been collected. Two animals / wildlife impacted to date. The Unified Area Command is located in Robert, Louisiana (LA) , with Incident Command Posts in Houma, LA, Mobile, Alabama, and St. Petersburg, Florida, and 10 staging areas established.

Future: NOAA forecasts light winds for today and tomorrow, seas at 2 feet or less with no chance of rain. The next cold front is forecast for Saturday, 8 May 10. The next Senior Leadership Brief will be published at 1200 EDT 6 May 10. The DHS NOC will continue to monitor this event.

Other: The boom set up to protect the wildlife on Free Mason Island is effective at keeping the oil from impacting land; however, sheen has been sighted in the wetlands and on the beaches. The total response personnel assigned is 6,693. Three bird rehabilitation facilities have been established in Fort Jackson, LA, Theodore, AL, and Pensacola, FL. No vessels, thus far, have required decontamination procedures. 728 Louisiana National Guard personnel are standing by at Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, LA; additional 370 personnel are expected.

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May 5, 2010

Current: The United States Coast Guard (USCG) reports no confirmed shoreline impact of oil. Skimming and subsea dispersant operations have resumed. In Situ burn operations are scheduled to resume today, weather permitting. The amount of dispersants applied, to date, is 190,285 gallons on the surface and 15,364 gallons subsea. The amount of boom assigned, to date, is 535,870 feet. To date, 30,418 barrels of oil / water mix has been collected. The drill rig DDIII drilled to a depth of 6,850 feet (1,950 feet below the ocean floor).

Future: The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports a second drilling rig, DDII, will be deployed to drill a second relief well in tandem with the first relief well drilled by DDIII. The rig DISCOVERED ENTERPRISE is scheduled to install a pollution control dome on the seabed over the Blowout Preventer to capture oil and funnel it to the surface in approximately one week. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts light winds for today and tomorrow, seas at 2 feet or less with no chance of rain through 7 May 10. The next cold front is forecast for Saturday, 8 May 10. The next Senior Leadership Brief (SLB) will be published at 1200 EDT 5 May 10. The DHS NOC will continue to monitor this event.

Other: Three bird rehabilitation facilities have been established in Fort Jackson, LA, Theodore, AL, and Pensacola, FL. USCG reports one pelican has been recovered and transported to a rehabilitation facility. No vessels, thus far, has required decontamination procedures. 728 Louisiana National Guard personnel are standing by at Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, LA; additional 370 personnel are expected.

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May 4, 2010

Current: The United States Coast Guard (USCG) reports there are now 10 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) assigned to the DEEPWATER HORIZON response with 4 additional ordered. The USCG is in process of evaluating the 24-hour continuous sub-sea dispersant trial. The amount of boom deployed, to date, is 486,940 feet. The USCG has not received any confirmed reports of oil reaching any shorelines. The US Department of Interior announced restrictions on fishing in portions of the Gulf of Mexico for a minimum of 10 days in federal waters most affected by the spill (more than 6,800 square miles from the mouth of the Mississippi to waters off Pensacola Bay, FL). The National Infrastructure Coordinating Center reports the State of Louisiana plans to collect baseline contaminant samples from Vermilion Bay near the center of the state coast and Calcasieu Lake at the western end of the coast. Shipping channels and ports remain open in the Gulf Coast Region.

Future: In the next 24-48 hours, the USCG plans to expand Area Commands to include representatives from Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts winds for today as variable at 5 knots with smooth seas (2 feet or less seas) and no chance of rain until 7 May 10. The next cold front is forecast for Friday, 7 May, into Saturday, possibly increasing winds and the chance of showers and thunderstorms. The end of the drill pipe is cut; weather permitting ROVs will be deployed to place a valve on the end of the cut drill pipe, effectively capping it. The next Senior Leadership Brief (SLB) will be published at 1200 EDT, followed by a SLB and Update report published at 1900 EDT. The DHS NOC will continue to monitor this event.

Other: The US Department of Energy reports staff represented by the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Office of Fossil Energy, and the Energy Information Administration are currently tracking and monitoring the oil spill and assessing the impact to electric utility power plants and oil facilities.

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May 3, 2010

Contact: Richard Forester, Executive Director

Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau

228-896-6699

exec@gulfcoast.org

MISSISSIPPI SOUND AND BEACHES OPEN FOR RECREATION
Fishing, sailing, shrimping trips, and beach vendors are all operating

GULFPORT/BILOXI – The state waters of the Mississippi Sound, all beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and beach vendors are open for business as usual. This includes charter fishing in Mississippi State waters 3 miles south of the barrier islands.

Richard Forester, executive director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, says, “We are very happy to announce that all of our beach activities are still operating and invite visitors to take full advantage of all that the Mississippi Sound has to offer from fishing charters to Biloxi Schooner sails to jet ski rentals to the Biloxi Shrimping Trip.”

Thomas Becker, president of the Mississippi Charter Boat Captain Association, says “Charter fishing was suspended only because of weather conditions and will resume Tuesday in the Mississippi Sound. We expect fishing to be just as good as before this frontal system passed through. The oil has not come close enough to affect the fishing.”

“We have full trips planned and encourage our visitors to keep coming to enjoy the natural resources of the Mississippi Gulf Coast” says Captain Brandy Moore of the Biloxi Shrimping Trip and Biloxi Fishing Trip “All of our shrimping trips, fishing trips, sunset cruises are operating at full schedule.”

Connie Rockco, president of the Harrison County Board of Supervisors stated, “The warm hospitality that matches our sunshine is still abundant and vibrant along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We welcome all visitors interested in gaming, water recreation, delicious cuisine and entertainment of all types. The recent events to date have not entered the Mississippi Sound and all systems are go for prevention.”

Linda Hornsby, executive director of the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association (MH&LA), says, “MH&LA has had no reports of cancellations, and, in fact many of our hotels on the Coast were full this past weekend. We are open and doing business as usual and are welcoming our visitors with a multitude of activities and attractions, some of which, as of very recently, can now be booked with E-Tickets through the hotels or through the Hotel Association at the same time our guests are making their reservations. This is an exciting new free service being offered, which combines to enhance the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a destination. There is no better time to make your plans and reservations to visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast than now.”

In addition to the water recreation and beaches being open, all coast casinos are open. Visitors can obtain up-to-date information at http://www.gulfcoast.org/ as well as links for information regarding the Deepwater Horizon incident.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (MGCCVB), the operating arm of the Harrison County Tourism Commission, is a not-for-profit destination marketing organization charged with promoting South Mississippi as a tourism and convention destination worldwide. Its mission centers on attracting ever-increasing numbers of leisure, convention, sports and business visitors to the area. It is dedicated to maximizing the travel and tourism industry for South Mississippi.

Update on Mississippi Coastline Oil Spill Response Activities

May 2, 2010 1:00pm

Mississippi Shoreline Protection

An extensive shoreline protection plan is being implemented with boom being deployed off the coast of Mississippi. BP is working very closely with the Mississippi Departments of Environmental Quality and Marine Resources and other state agencies as well as the US Coast Guard and the federal government to aggressively boom off sensitive areas to protect marine life. Additional efforts continue to collect as much of this oil offshore as possible.

BP, operating with the US Coast Guard and other agencies, is attacking this spill on all fronts. An extensive shoreline protection plan is being implemented with boom being deployed off the coast of Mississippi to the prioritized sensitive shore areas. The DEQ and the DMR are continuously reviewing where boom has been deployed and we expect to receive a re-prioritized list to continuously ensure that the booming takes place in environmentally-sensitive areas as well as to minimize economic impact.

BP takes responsibility for responding to the spill. We will clean it up. We are doing everything we can to minimize the environment and economic impact. We are fully committed to protecting the sensitive shoreline and cleaning up any shoreline impacts as quickly as possible. We are in regular contact with the Governor of Mississippi and the DEQ, DMR and other agencies. On Friday the Governor met with BP’s staging team leader, Kenny Spriggs, and United States Environmental Services Chief Operating Officer George Mulvaney. He also participated in a call with the Incident Command Center in Houma, Louisiana, speaking to Captain Ed Stanton, Captain of Port of New Orleans and BP’s Incident Commander and staff to hear firsthand about the aggressive spill response actions and plans taking place. This overview was followed by an aerial tour of the Mississippi coast with the Air National Guard Mississippi Boom Deployment.

As of Saturday, May 1, more than 73,300 ft of boom has been deployed along the sensitive areas of the Mississippi coast. Additionally, more than 10,000 ft. of absorbent boom has been laid in Grand Bay. Additional boom is available at the Mississippi staging and deployment areas and additional footage has been ordered. Although the weather hampered our booming deployment efforts on Saturday we deployed about 18,000 ft of boom. The teams went out on Sunday morning to continue deploying boom, however had to come back to shore due to weather including tornado watches across the area. Two on-site spill response staging areas began physically setting up in Mississippi, on Sunday in Biloxi and on Monday in Pascagoula. We have also deployed people and materials to Bayou Caddy. These staging areas are tasked with staging all spill response equipment and laying out boom along the sensitive areas of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Priority areas for booming are identified by state agencies in contingencies plans including were identified by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and other agencies.

BP is preparing for volunteer efforts in preparation for shoreline clean-up, if needed.

Volunteers are encouraged to call the Community Volunteer number at 1-866 448 5816.

Local volunteer training sessions were held today in conjunction with local officials as volunteers prepared to do clean beaches in advance of the spill reaching shore.

For any health related concerns regarding the oil spill, contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or go to www.aapcc.org

Community colleges partner with BP to offer basic safety and health training for volunteers

Volunteer community safety and health training for cleanup efforts related to the oil spill in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico began Sunday at 9 a.m. in Jackson County, Mississippi.

Additional training sessions were scheduled in Jackson County and Harrison County Sunday afternoon. At 2 p.m., John Shows, associate vice president for Career and Technical Education, presented the health and safety informational session to about 40 interested individuals in the Fine Arts Auditorium, at the Jefferson Davis Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC).

This first response for health, safety and awareness training was sponsored by local elected officials, BP personnel, community organizations and MGCCC. Pearl River Community College (PRCC) will be working with MGCCC to host training sessions for Hancock County residents.

Currently, the schedule for continuing the basic training sessions beginning May 3, 2010, to be conducted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community Colleges is as follows:

Jackson County Campus – 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday

Jefferson Davis Campus – 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday

PRCC Hancock County Center – 10 a.m. Monday (additional training sessions to be announced)

These volunteer training sessions will qualify volunteers to participate in pre-landfall beach cleaning to minimize impact on the beaches of any oil contamination of trash and debris on the beaches. It will not qualify the volunteers to do cleanup of oil contaminated beaches and wildlife.

Advanced preparations are being made for a major protection and cleaning effort on the shorelines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. According to reports, Command Centers opened Saturday.

For further information, please visit this website.

City of Ocean Springs