Florida Outlines BP Gulf Oil Spill Response For July 16, 2010
On Day 88 of the Gulf oil spill currently the Deepwater Horizon is not discharging any oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
BP has begun conducting the well integrity test, which is being closely monitored. The well integrity test on the MC252 well commenced yesterday; full closure of the choke valve occurred at approximately 2:25pm. Currently the well remains shut-in with no oil flowing into the Gulf. Pressure continues to rise and is currently above 6700 psi.
Due to the well integrity test, no oil was recovered during the last 12 hours on July 15 (noon to midnight). On July 15, total oil recovered was about 9,305 barrels: 5,875 barrels of oil were collected, 3,430 barrels of oil were flared and 22.5 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared. Total oil recovered from the LMRP Cap, Q4000, and Helix Producer systems since they were implemented is 804,800 barrels. An additional 22,000 barrels were collected from the RIT tool earlier in May bringing the total recovered to 826,800 barrels.
Approximately 581 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline is currently oiled: 71 miles in Florida, 333 miles in Louisiana, 109 miles in Mississippi, and 68 miles in Alabama.
About 1.84 million gallons of total dispersant have been applied: 1.07 million on the surface and 763,000 subsea. More than 32.9 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered.
Statement by Governor Charlie Crist Regarding the Cap on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Well:
“While I am pleased that oil is no longer freely flowing in the Gulf of Mexico, there is more work to do to help families, businesses and communities on the Gulf Coast as they recover from this disaster. Though relieved by today’s progress, I join Floridians and all who love the Gulf Coast in remaining focused on the permanent end to the oil spill and cleaning up Florida’s beautiful beaches and famous fishing grounds. Our state’s economy, environment and future depend on our success in these efforts.”
Continued impacts will be possible in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours. View the Florida Gator Interactive Oil Spill Map.
As of July 16, Minimal tarballs were reported on Escambia County beaches, including Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. Tarballs were sighted beneath the surface one-half mile offshore. More than 1,000 workers were staged on the beaches and cleanup crews worked overnight and will continue to work throughout the day. Oil sheen was reported in both Pensacola and Perdido pass.
All gulf beaches in Escambia County remain under an Oil Impact Notice that will stay in effect until beaches are no longer impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Gulf beaches are open and swimming is not prohibited but swimmers are advised to avoid coming into contact with oil, whether in the water or on land.
Under the leadership of Governor Charlie Crist, the State Emergency Response Team and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are actively coordinating and responding to the Deepwater Horizon incident.
The following is a summary of state and BP response actions to date, as well as tips for residents and visitors to take precautions both pre and post-landfall.
Map of BP Oil Spill as of July 16, 2010. Click on images for larger picture.
This forecast is based on the NWS spot forecast from Thursday, July 15 PM. Currents were obtained from several models (NOAA Gulf of Mexico, West Florida Shelf/USF, TGLO/TAMU, NAVO/NRL) and HFR measurements. The model was initialized from Wednesday-Thursday satellite imagery analysis (NOAA/NESDIS) and Thursday overflight observations. The leading edge may contain tarballs that are not readily observable from the imagery (hence not included in the model initialization). Oil near bay inlets could be brought into that bay by local tidal currents.
Persistent onshore winds (SE/S) are forecast through Sunday with speeds of 5-15 kts. Remote sensing imagery and overflights indicate that oil from the source is continuing to move to the south/southeast and there is very little oil remaining to the north. However, trajectories indicate oil from the source region may begin spreading north and west over the next few days. Observed floating oil from today’s overflights and satellite analysis is not expected to landfall within the forecast period but scattered tarballs may continue to impact previously impacted shorelines.
On Site Actions:
During the well integrity test, operations on the first relief well have been temporarily stopped, as a precaution, while the well was at 17,840 feet. Operations on the second relief well have been temporarily suspended at 15,874 feet to ensure there is no interference with the first relief well. Learn more.
State Actions:
The State Emergency Operations Center is activated at Level 1.
The State Emergency Response Team continues to focus on removing oil from the water and mitigating impacts to Florida’s shoreline.
Three Florida branch offices are fully operational in Northwest Florida and a fourth branch office will open today in Port St. Joe.
BP claimants should be aware of potential online or local claims scams. Report suspected claims fraud to 1-877-359-6281.
DEP continues to conduct water sampling monitoring to establish baseline conditions throughout the state. Learn more about sampling and results at www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/water.htm.
DEP’s Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas is conducting water sampling under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process. Learn more.
Real-time sampling data from statewide air quality monitoring can be viewed at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/air.htm.
Air quality reports for July 15 revealed that air quality was considered good for ozone and moderate for fine particulate concentrations in Northwest Florida. “Good” means the air quality is satisfactory and air pollution poses little or no risk. “Moderate” means air quality is acceptable for most people.
Landfall Reports and Predictions:
Tar balls, tar mats and light sheen continue to be reported in Northwest Florida. View the latest reconnaissance reports here.
Continued impacts will be possible in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours.
Five state-leased skimmers continue to operate in Northwest Florida to protect sensitive inland water bodies. These skimmers are operating at the passes in Escambia, Okaloosa, Bay, Gulf and Franklin Counties.
Nearly 90 percent of Florida’s more than 1,260 miles of coastline remains unimpacted.
If oil is sighted on Florida’s coastline report it to the State Warning Point at 1-877-2-SAVE-FL (1-877-272-8335) or by dialing #DEP from most cell phones.
Pensacola Pass as well as Perdido Pass will continue to be closed with the tide to reduce the amount of oil entering inland waters. These waterways are manned to allow access to necessary vessel traffic and are open for vessel traffic during low tide. See NOAA tide predictions.
Observations by NOAA continue to indicate no significant amounts of oil moving toward the Loop Current. The Loop Current Ring, a circular current which was formerly part of the Loop Current provides no clear path for oil to enter the Florida Straits.
There have been no reports of Deepwater Horizon oil spill-related products reaching the shore beyond the Northwest Florida region. There is no indication that the rest of the state will have impacts from weathered oil products within the next 72 hours.
A tropical wave in the central Caribbean Sea has a 10 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours.
Boom Placement:
Approximately 475,600 feet of hard boom and 8,580 feet of sorbent boom have been placed in Northwest Florida along the most sensitive areas. Additionally, counties in the region are moving forward with supplemental booming plans. As of July 15, 316,261 feet of supplemental boom has been deployed or staged by Florida contractors.
Health Effects:
Oil Impact Notices are posted for all Escambia County and Walton County Gulf beaches, as well as designated beaches in Okaloosa County. Signs may remain in place until local authorities determine that beaches are no longer impacted by the oil spill. Learn more.
If residents or visitors see tar or oiled debris on the beach, DO NOT PICK IT UP. For most people, an occasional brief contact with a small amount of oil will not cause any harm, however it is not recommended. Learn more.
Fisheries & Seafood:
The current federal fisheries closure in the Gulf of Mexico measures 83,927 square miles. This leaves approximately 65 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Learn more.
A portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County is closed to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Learn more.
To report oiled wildlife, please call 1-866-557-1401. For the safety of the public as well as the safety of animals, rescues should only be conducted by trained responders. Learn more.
Visit http://bpdecon.com for a list of vessel decontamination locations for oiled boats within the U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Sector.
Tips for Homeowners:
While the state appreciates the concern expressed by Floridians and the ingenuity of those seeking alternative measures to help protect the state’s shoreline, the following tips are offered to ensure that these measures are helpful and not harmful to Florida’s coasts, wildlife and water resources: Tips for homeowners.
Tips for Businesses and Consumers:
The Attorney General’s fraud hotline is open to receive any reports of fraud or price gouging. The hotline is 1-866-966-7226.
The Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner gas price-gouging hotline is also operational. The toll-free hotline number is 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-435-7352).
Coastal businesses should make loss of earnings claims for damages incurred as a result of the oil spill. Learn more at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/ or by calling 1-850-413-3089 or toll-free at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236).
To discuss spill related damage with BP representatives, please call the BP Claims Reporting Line at 1-800-440-0858.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Individuals interested in volunteering can register at www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org.
Volunteers will not be in direct contact with oil or oil-contaminated materials.
The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service – Volunteer Florida is encouraging Floridians and visitors to stay current on the latest information on scheduled beach cleanups and other local volunteer opportunities.
Learn More About Florida’s Response:
Visit www.deepwaterhorizonflorida.com to learn more about Florida’s response to the Deepwater Horizon incident, sign up for daily updates, view tips for businesses and consumers, and much more.
For a list of Unified Command, BP and Florida phone numbers, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm#numbers.
The Oil Spill Information Line is available at 1-888-337-3569 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week. Additional phone numbers have also been established for persons with disabilities: (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or (800) 955-8770 (voice).
Topics: 2010, beaches, BP, British Petroleum, business, coastline, Deepwater Horizon, Economy, emergency response, environment, environmental impact, Fishery Failure Determination, fishing, Florida, Florida seafood products, GOHSEP, Governance, government, Governor Charlie Crist, Gulf of Mexico, gulf oil map, July 16, landfall predictions, loans, Mexico Beach, moniter, monitor, news, noaa oil spill, Obama Administration, oil loop current, Oil Rig, oil spill, oil spill forecast, oil spill map, Panama City Beach, Panhandle, Pensacola Beach, Pensacola Pass, pollution, President Obama, tourism, Transocean, U.S., United States, VISIT FLORIDA marketing campaign, White House, www.visitflorida.com
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