Tuesday, June 1, 2010

BP's "Top Kill" Fails to Stop Oil Leak

BP halted their “Top Kill” operation Saturday, citing problems with the procedure.

The procedure was intended to stem the flow of oil and gas and ultimately kill the well by injecting heavy drilling fluids through the blow-out preventer on the seabed, down into the well.

Despite pumping a total of over 30,000 barrels of heavy mud, in three attempts at rates of up to 80 barrels a minute, and deploying a wide range of different bridging materials, the operation did not overcome the flow from the well, BP said in a news release.

BP is to move to the next step in the subsea operations, the deployment of the Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) Cap Containment System.

The operational plan first involves cutting and then removing the damaged riser from the top of the failed Blow-Out Preventer (BOP) to leave a cleanly-cut pipe at the top of the BOP’s LMRP. The cap is designed to be connected to a riser from a drillship and placed over the LMRP with the intention of capturing most of the oil and gas flowing from the well.

The LMRP cap is already on site and should be connected in about four days, BP officials said.

This operation has not been previously carried out in 5,000 feet of water and the successful deployment of the containment system cannot be assured, BP said.

Meanwhile, NOAA trajectory forecasts continue to show oil sheen and tar balls staying well away from the Florida Keys.

The Monday, May 31, models show the southern edge of the sheen positioned about 265 miles west of Key West.

No oil-related impacts to the Keys are forecast for at least the next 72 hours, Billy Causey, superintendent of the southeast region for NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries, said early Saturday evening.

Monday, May 24, 2010

TDC BOLSTERS GULF OIL SPILL INFO ON WEBSITE

KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 18       May 24, 2010 • 11 AM

News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council

TDC BOLSTERS GULF OIL SPILL INFO ON WEBSITE


The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has added more elements to its website to communicate accurate information regarding the relationship of the Transocean/BP oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Keys.

On the www.fla-keys.com home page is a link to a special spill section, as well as a prominent connection to live webcams, so potential visitors can see the area for themselves. The current “Video of the Week” feature shows Key West Mayor Craig Cates correcting misperceptions that the Florida Keys & Key West have already been impacted by the Gulf oil spill.

“We know the travel consumer is hungry for accurate information,” said TDC Director Harold Wheeler. “Ever since we posted the first spill-related news story on April 28, we’ve had more than 75,000 spill-related page views on our site.”

All information published is based on official authorities including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Division of Emergency Management and Monroe County Emergency Management.

The special spill section features 72-hour-in-advance oil slick trajectory graphics that can be enlarged and clearly show NOAA’s projected positions and oil densities in both the northern Gulf of Mexico and Loop Current.

The page also has a quick overview of the status of the Keys for visitors as well as links to resources for specific oil spill-related information.

News stories and a question-and-answer page regarding the Keys and the Gulf oil spill can be accessed from the special page.

Meanwhile, light oil sheen and isolated tar balls continue to remain significantly west of the Keys according to the latest NOAA trajectory models. Wednesday’s forecast shows oil residue to be positioned some 300 miles to the northwest of Key West.

On Saturday, at a special Key West City Commission meeting, federal officials expressed their confidence that with exposure to heat, weather, dispersants and evaporation, any of the oil sheen presently in the Gulf Loop Current that might get close to the Keys would likely transform into small tar balls. Tar balls, they said, would mean significantly fewer environmental consequences than aqueous oil.


"A (oil) sheen over time will break down, will become weathered (and) will evaporate." said Captain Pat DeQuattro of the U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector. "If we’re to be impacted, it will more likely be tar balls."

Even if tar balls make their way into the Florida Straits they could be far enough offshore that they completely miss the Keys, officials added.

Tar Balls are Worst Impacts Expected for Keys From Gulf Oil Spill

KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY  May 22, 2010 • 3:15 p.m.

Officials: Tar Balls are Worst Impacts Expected for Keys From Gulf Oil Spill

KEY WEST, Fla. -- Local and federal officials sought to sort fact from speculation Saturday, telling attendees at a special city commission meeting the worst effect the Florida Keys should get from the Transocean/BP oil spill is tar balls.

Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary briefed a standing-room-only-audience at Old City Hall.

U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector Captain Pat DeQuattro said his Unified Incident Command’s cleanup plan concentrates on mitigating tar balls, if they come to the Keys.

NOAA officials are confident with exposure to heat, weather, dispersants and evaporation, any of the oil sheen presently in the Gulf Loop Current that got close to the Keys would likely transform into small tar balls. Tar balls, they said, would have a lot less impact than a major spill and are less toxic.

“A (oil) sheen over time will break down, will become weathered (and) will evaporate.” said DeQuattro. “If we’re to be impacted, it will more likely be tar balls.”

Sean Morton, superintendent of NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary said, for the present time, the Gulf Loop Current was actually taking the light oil sheen towards the southwest, away from the Keys.

“In the 72-hour (spill trajectory) forecast, what NOAA is predicting is that the sheen and tar balls that could be observed in the water are moving west, away from the Florida Keys,” Morton said.

Although the island chain has not seen physical impacts from the Gulf oil spill, Keys lodging and other visitor-related businesses have been hit hard with reservations cancellations and calls from nervous visitors confused by speculative reports of a looming environmental disaster in the Keys.

“Yes, our economy has been effected by this because of the perception that the Keys has oil on it or tar balls coming up from the spill,” said Key West Mayor Craig Cates. “We do not. Key West is open for business (and) the water is clear, this fishing is great, the weather is fine and Memorial (Day) weekend is coming up.”

Gulf Spill Oil Sheen and Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys

KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 17       May 21, 2010 • 1 PM
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council

NOAA Forecast: Gulf Spill Oil Sheen, Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys

Oil trajectory maps, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show light and very light sheens of oil and scattered tar balls from the Gulf oil spill in the Loop Current remaining well to the west of the Florida Keys through Sunday. The same forecast is likely to continue further into next week.

According to NOAA, the forecast position of the southern point of the sheen on Sunday is about 300 miles to the west of Key West.

Meanwhile, NOAA analysis show most of the oil, especially heavy concentrations, has not entered the Loop Current.

During a news conference late Thursday, NOAA administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco reiterated that finding and stated, "If you look at the satellite images, it is obvious that the bulk of the oil is far away from the Loop Current."

If any of the oil makes it to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and the application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, Lubchenco said.

Oil entrained in the Loop Current would require persistent onshore winds or an eddy on the edge of the Loop Current for it to reach the Florida shoreline. If this were to occur, the weathered and diluted oil would likely appear in isolated locations in the form of tar balls, NOAA wrote in a statement.

On Thursday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist added Monroe County, in the Florida Keys, to a list of two-dozen Florida counties already under a state of emergency declaration. Even though no Florida county has seen oil, the declaration was issued so counties can pre-qualify for federal reimbursement funding and individual business loans, if needed.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Rush Limbaugh Offers Advice on Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

We're saved! Rush Limbaugh has figured out a way to fix the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. His solution is to do... nothing. Mr. Limbaugh offered his advice on his recent radio broadcast “The ocean will take care of this on its own if it was left alone and left out there. It’s natural. It’s as natural as the ocean water is.”

Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key are open

Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key are open! Our area has not been impacted by the oil spill off Louisiana’s coast, nor is there a current forecast for a projected landfall. Our water is open for swimming and fishing, and quality Florida seafood is readily available for you to enjoy.

We are closely monitoring official information sources. The Deepwater Horizon Response Team (U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security, NOAA, BP, Transocean and the Department of the Interior) is working diligently to contain the oil spill. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and are here to help answer your vacation questions. Please check with your hotels and rental properties as many of them have relaxed their cancellation policies to better meet your travel needs during this time.

Provided by the Pensacola CVB

BP Oil Cleanup Presents No Disruption for Visitors to New Orleans

BP Oil Cleanup Presents No Disruption for Visitors to New Orleans- May 20, 2010 - 4:14 p.m. CT: It's business as usual for visitors. The city is welcoming hundreds of thousands of business and leisure visitors this month, including cruise ship passengers. The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau is closely monitoring cleanup efforts and we are in constant communication with city and state officials at the Command Center. New Orleans is located approximately 100 miles inland, and we do not anticipate any disruption in guest service or impact to visitors, as oil reaches the islands of the extreme coastline of Louisiana, approximately 100 miles from New Orleans. Some restaurants have made alternate arrangements when necessary to procure seafood from other locations while some of the waters are closed for fishing. Quality Louisiana seafood is readily available for consumers to enjoy.

Provided by the New Orleans CVB

NOAA Oil Spill Forecast for May 21

May 21, 2010 • 1 PM
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council

NOAA Forecast: Gulf Spill Oil Sheen, Tar Balls Forecast to Remain West of Keys

Oil trajectory maps, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show light and very light sheens of oil and scattered tar balls from the Gulf oil spill in the Loop Current remaining well to the west of the Florida Keys through Sunday. The same forecast is likely to continue further into next week.

According to NOAA, the forecast position of the southern point of the sheen on Sunday is about 300 miles to the west of Key West.

Meanwhile, NOAA analysis show most of the oil, especially heavy concentrations, has not entered the Loop Current.

During a news conference late Thursday, NOAA administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco reiterated that finding and stated, "If you look at the satellite images, it is obvious that the bulk of the oil is far away from the Loop Current."

If any of the oil makes it to the vicinity of the Florida Straits, it would be highly weathered and both the natural process of evaporation and the application of dispersants would reduce the oil volume significantly, Lubchenco said.

Oil entrained in the Loop Current would require persistent onshore winds or an eddy on the edge of the Loop Current for it to reach the Florida shoreline. If this were to occur, the weathered and diluted oil would likely appear in isolated locations in the form of tar balls, NOAA wrote in a statement.

On Thursday, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist added Monroe County, in the Florida Keys, to a list of two-dozen Florida counties already under a state of emergency declaration. Even though no Florida county has seen oil, the declaration was issued so counties can pre-qualify for federal reimbursement funding and individual business loans, if needed.

How Much Oil is Being Leaked?



Want to know how much oil has leaked to date based upon different viewpoints and estimates since the BP oil rig sank in April? The above calculator will tell you how much oil has been spilled into the Gulf of Mexico based upon NOAA's estimates or Outside Estimates or BP's worst case estimate or other Expert's worst case estimates... or you can calculate it based upon your own estimates.

Florida is still open for business - Remarks by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Remarks by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen 
Florida is still open for business
Thursday, May 20, 2010


On Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the tar balls discovered on the Florida Keys shoreline were not linked to the Gulf oil spill.

What does this mean: It means that Florida is still open for business! Madam speaker, public beaches in my Congressional district of Miami and the Florida Keys are open—their waters warm and inviting. Charter boat captains eagerly await the opportunity to take tourists deep sea fishing. Similarly, dive shops stand by to take visitors on a tour of some of the greatest underwater treasures in this world: the Florida Keys coral reefs.

For those outside of Florida, it is important to note that fresh caught fish from our Sunshine state is just as fresh as ever. As are our stone crabs, spiny lobster, and shrimp.

Recent news reports have caused a premature panic for visitors. And while it is important that coastal communities prepare for the possibility of oil coming ashore; Florida is open for business. Come on down, the water’s fine.