Manatee deaths studied

GULFPORT, Miss. – The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies is looking into the recent deaths of two manatees in the northern Gulf of Mexico. One was found dead in Mobile Bay on Christmas day, and the other was found alive in the Pascagoula River, but died as it was being taken to the institute. Indications are the two may have succumbed to the cold weather. (Sources: Mississippi Press, 12/30/10, WALA-TV, Sun Herald, 12/29/10)

January sci-tech newsletter available

The latest issue of Alliance Insight, a quarterly newsletter highlighting science and technology in South Mississippi, is now available. The January issue takes a look at what's in store for South Mississippi in 2011. Also included: feature stories about NASA's Stennis Space Center, the Infinity Science Center, South Mississippi's airports and the Tradition planned community. The newsletter is produced by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Alliance for Economic Development. (Source: Alliance Insight, January 2011)

Workshop scheduled with researchers

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources will present a public briefing on the status of coastal fisheries research at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 in the Caylor Auditorium at GCRL. Topics will include Mississippi’s spotted seatrout population monitoring, cooperative tag and release programs, and efforts relative to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The program is free and open to the public. (Source: Tcp, 12/02/10, based on 11/22/10 USM release)

Water closed to royal red shrimping

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has closed 4,213 square miles of Gulf of Mexico federal waters off Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to royal red shrimping. The measure was taken Wednesday night after a commercial shrimper discovered tar balls in his net. Fishing for royal red shrimp is conducted by pulling fishing nets across the bottom of the ocean floor. The tar balls found in the catch may have been entrained in the net as it was dragged along the seafloor. Other fishing at shallower depths in this area has not turned up any tar balls and is thus not impacted by this closure. The tar balls found in the shrimp net are being analyzed by the U.S. Coast Guard to see if they are from the Deepwater Horizon/BP spill, NOAA said. (Source: NOAA, 11/24/10)

Monitors put on sea turtles

GULFPORT, Miss. - The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies will track endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtles with satellite monitoring devices and plans to chart their course on a website. Three turtles released Saturday were visible via satellite, and were heading south toward the Chandeleur Islands on Sunday, said Moby Solangi, IMMS president and executive director. Solangi said the research will yield important data on the turtles. (Source: Sun Herald, 11/21/10)

Science careers topic of lecture

LONG BEACH, Miss. - Career opportunities in science and technology will be the topic of the Issues and Answers lecture Thursday at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach. The lecture is presented by the Sun Herald and Southern Miss Gulf Coast College of Science and Technology. It will be held at 7 p.m. at the Fleming Education Center auditorium. The panel of Southern Miss professors will share information about career opportunities in geography, biology, industrial engineering technology, molecular biology, mathematics and marine science. The event is free and open to the public. (Source: USM, 11/17/10)

Microbes to the rescue

More answers are beginning to surface about what happened the oil that gushed into the Gulf of Mexico from the BP well during the spring and summer. Scientists have tracked how nontoxic elements of oil became dinner for microbes, and that in turn became food for plankton. The study focused on the way carbon specific to the oil moved through the food web. William Graham, a plankton expert at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Alabama, said the speed of how the oil components moved through the ecosystem may affect the overall health of the Gulf. Questions still remain on the toxic portion of the oil. The study, released Monday, was funded by the National Science Foundation, Alabama, and BP research funds distributed through the Northern Gulf Institute at Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Sources: Mobile Press-Register, AP via Sun Herald, 11/08/10)

Fishing closure hikes population

MOBILE, Ala. - Research suggests the federal closure of the richest portion of the Gulf of Mexico to all fishing during the spring and summer BP oil spill may be responsible for a dramatic increases in the number of marine creatures, from shrimp to sharks. Scientists from Dauphin Island Sea Lab have been surveying Alabama and Mississippi coastal waters for years, and data collected this year shows a three-fold increase in numbers. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/07/10)

Evidence of oil on Gulf floor mounts

While the surface signs of this summer’s oil spill are harder to find, that’s not the case on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. A "multicorer" used to obtain three soil samples, one 140 nautical miles away, one 16 nautical miles from the well and one mid-way, shows a big difference. The soil the furthest away is all mud, while a sample from the intermediate location near Gulfport, Miss., has a thin layer of oil. The one near the well is striped with a bottom layer of mud, a layer that appears to be oil and a top layer of slime that may be oil with bacteria feeding on it. What all this means for sea life is still to be determined. (Source: OnEarth magazine, 11/04/10) Federal scientists have found damage to deep sea corals and other marine life several miles from where the BP well spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists said surveys using remotely operated vehicles down to 4,600 feet and seven miles from the BP well found dead and dying corals, some coated with a brown substance. Further tests are needed to determine if the substance is oil. (Source: AP, 11/05/10)

NOPP presentation scheduled

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - The National Oceanographic Partnership Program, which provides funding for collaborative ocean issues research projects, will make a presentation Nov. 15 at Stennis Space Center's Building 1100. Participants will learn more about the program and topics scheduled for funding. NOPP is a collaboration of federal agencies that support ocean research partnerships involving academia, government, industry, and non-governmental organizations. NOPP invests in multiple areas, including oceanographic research and exploration, technology development, resource management, and ocean education. Proposals to the program must have government, university, and private industry partners. The meeting is being hosted by the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology. For more information, contact MsET's Belinda Gill at 228-688-3144. To register. (Source: MsET, 11/04/10)

Science center topping out date set

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - A "topping out" ceremony has been scheduled for Nov. 17 for the Infinity Science Center being built near NASA's Stennis Space Center. The ceremony marks a milestone in construction of the multimillion-dollar education center, set to open in 2012. In addition to the placing of a tree at the highest part of the structure, there will be remarks by key officials. Infinity, located near the Mississippi-Louisiana state line and the Mississippi Welcome Center along Interstate 10, is designed to interest young people in science, technology, engineering and math, and to increase the public’s understanding of the earth, space and ocean science work done at Stennis Space Center. (Source: Tcp, 11/01/10)

Oil found on seafloor

Scientists who were aboard two research vessels studying the Gulf of Mexico oil spill's impact on sea life have found substantial amounts of oil on the seafloor. The oil was in samples dug up from the seafloor in a 140-mile radius around the site of the well, said Kevin Yeager, a University of Southern Mississippi assistant professor of marine sciences. He was the chief scientist on the research trip, which ended last week. (Source: USA Today, 10/24/10) Previous story of oil found on seafloor

More federal waters opened

Another 7,000 square miles of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico has been reopened to commercial and recreational fishing. That leaves just four percent still closed as a result of this summer’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the latest opening is 60 miles east of the well site, between the Florida-Alabama state line and Cape San Blas, Fl. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 10/22/10)

Oyster farming finds new importance

BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. - Scientists at Auburn University’s Shellfish Laboratory on Dauphin Island find their work has new significance in the wake of this summer's oil spill. Oyster farming is popular in other parts of the U.S., but was never found economically viable in coastal Alabama. Now, Auburn's Shellfish Lab is working with volunteers and leading experiments to see if such farming can be a money maker. A demonstration at Point aux Pines near Bayou La Batre may show a way. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/18/10)

Scientists optimistic about funding

Gulf Coast university researchers are optimistic about getting a fair share of the $500 million in grant money to study the effects of the oil spill. Experts from the Gulf Coast are most familiar with the ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico and could add a lot to the studies, said Denis Wiesenburg, vice president of research at the University of Southern Mississippi. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance, a consortium of the five Gulf states, will administer $500 million in grants that BP committed over 10 years. A board of scientists will manage the study effort, known as the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. BP and the alliance will each choose half of the board members. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/14/10)

Infinity science center taking shape

HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. – The Infinity Science Center, an interactive facility begin built near Stennis Space Center along Interstate 10, is beginning to take shape. Work began May 3 near the Welcome Center in South Mississippi not far from the state line with Louisiana. The building is scheduled to be finished in August. About 90 percent of the steelwork is up and 80 percent of the concrete is done. A "topping off" will be celebrated in the next few weeks. Backers are still raising some $2 million for the $12 million interactive exhibits. Infinity will highlight ocean, space and earth science through fun exhibits at the center. It's expected to open in the spring of 2012. (Source: Sun Herald, 10/10/10)

90 percent of federal waters now open

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this week reopened to commercial and recreational fishing another 2,927 square miles of Gulf of Mexico waters off eastern Louisiana. This is the eighth reopening in federal waters since July 22 in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. No oil or sheen has been documented in the area since July 31. The remaining closed area now covers 23,360 square miles, or about 10 percent of the federal waters in the Gulf. (Source: NOAA, 10/05/10)

Oil spill impact: Signs looking good?

Some of the researchers most familiar with the northern Gulf of Mexico say the ocean looks like it should as fall begins, but they agree it could be years before any losses related to this summer's Deepwater Horizon oil spill become apparent. "Working from the grand caveat that most of the information we have is anecdotal and suggestive," said Monty Graham, a biologist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, "it does not appear that there are large pools of oil running around on the bottom, wreaking havoc." (Source: Mobile Press Register, 10/03/10) Earlier last week, a NOAA scientist said more than 30,000 samples taken in the Gulf of Mexico show the Gulf is recovering from the spill. Janet Baran, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist who is co-leading the subsurface oil monitoring program, said samples taken in about 10,000 locations in shallow to deep water, as well as the ocean floor, show no visible signs of oil. Oil content of the samples is now being described as being in parts per billion rather than million, representing a thousand-fold decrease in the amount of oil in the water, she said. (Source: Mississippi Press, 09/30/10)

GCRL shows off new lab

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory this week showed off its new $2 million Marine Environmental Research Lab at its Cedar Point campus. The lab has dozens of tanks where scientists can control variable like salinity, flow rate and food sources. The 6,700-square-foot facility includes a 3,700-square-foot experimental wet lab, a 3,000-square-foot analytical lab, a clean room, environmental control chambers and more than $1 million in scientific equipment. Funding came from the U.S. Department of Education grant made available to institutions of higher learning affected by Hurricane Katrina. Construction on the building began March 2008 and was completed in April 2009. (Sources: WLOX-TV, Sun Herald, 09/28/10, Mississippi Press, 09/29/10)

Pisces on two-week mission

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The NOAA ship Pisces left Pascagoula Friday for a two-week mission to collect samples around the Deepwater Horizon wellhead. A team of 15 federal and academic scientists is on board the 209-foot Pisces to collect water and sediment samples within 25 miles of the site of the oil spill. The ship’s mission to see what’s on the seafloor and the water column. The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. The runaway well spewed oil into the Gulf of Mexico until the flow was stopped July 15. (Source: Mississippi Press, 09/25/10)

Oil's impact on whale shark

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill fouled a stretch of feeding habitat for whale sharks, possibly killing some of the world's largest fish, new research suggests. Oil from the April 20 Deepwater Horizon spill, which wasn't capped until mid-July, flowed into an area south of the Mississippi River Delta, where a third of all northern Gulf of Mexico whale shark sightings have occurred in recent years. The spill came at the worst possible time at the worst location for whale sharks, said biologist Eric Hoffmayer, who studies whale sharks at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory. Some of the whale sharks may have moved away to waters less impacted by the spill. (Source: National Geographic News, 09/24/10)

Runaway well finally dead

The runaway Deepwater Horizon well is finally dead. Cement pumped into the well at the start of the weekend sealed it for good. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen on Sunday said the well no longer poses a threat. It was April 20 when the BP well exploded, killing 11 workers. It spewed 206 million gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico in the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The flow of oil was stopped July 15 with a temporary cap, but the cementing deep below the floor of the Gulf of Mexico killed it for good. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 09/19/10)

Predatory lionfish found off Alabama, Pensacola

Lionfish have been seen off Alabama and Pensacola within the last week, posing a threat to native species. Lionfish, native to the south Pacific, apparently arrived in U.S. and Caribbean waters via the aquarium trade. Over the last dozen years, Lionfish have become established in the Bahamas and along the Atlantic Coast. Studies in the Bahamas show lionfish are reported to have eaten up to 60 percent of the native fish on coral reefs. The fish has a mane-like array of venomous spines around its body. The sting is described as painful and can cause nausea. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 09/16/10)

Oil found on gulf floor

Scientists say they are finding oil from the broken BP well well below the surface on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. Oil at least two inches thick has been found a mile under the surface. Under that oil was dead shrimp and other small animals, according to a University of Georgia researcher. Researcher Samantha Joye said they found oil as far as 80 miles from the site of the spill. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 09/13/10)

Grant funds specimen catalogue

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory's Natural History Museum has received a $190,000 rapid response grant from the National Science Foundation to catalogue thousands of invertebrate specimens from the northern Gulf of Mexico. About 15,000 lots of specimens are involved in the project, said museum curator Sara LeCroy. She said the lab has a large collection taken about 15 years ago from the same places where more recent samples were taken. It will allow for a pre-spill and post-spill comparison. (Sources: University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi Press, 09/13/10)

Study: Microbes not depleting oxygen

Government scientists are reporting that microbes are consuming the oil in the Gulf of Mexico without depleting the oxygen in the water and creating “dead zones.” Outside scientists said this so far vindicates the decision by BP and the government to use chemical dispersants deep underwater to break up the oil. Oxygen levels in some places where the BP oil spilled are down by 20 percent, but that’s not low enough to create dead zones, according to the 95-page report released Tuesday. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 09/07/10) NOAA news release

Cap removed from ruptured well

BP has successfully removed a temporary cap from the ruptured Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico. The cap had initially sealed the well July 15. The next step is to remove the damaged blowout preventer and replace it with a new one. Then a relief well will be completed and the ruptured well will be permanently sealed with mud and cement. The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and dumping 206 million gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. The damaged blowout preventer will be taken to NASA's Michoud facility in New Orleans for forensic study by the Coast Guard and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which are jointly investigating the disaster. (Sources: USA Today, Reuters, 09/02/10) Meanwhile, NOAA reopened 5,130 square miles of Gulf waters stretching from the far eastern coast of Louisiana, through Mississippi, Alabama, and the western Florida panhandle. The closed area now measures 43,000 square miles, 18 percent of the federal waters in the Gulf. At the height of the spill, 37 percent was closed. In another well-related incident, there was a fire aboard the Mariner Energy production platform in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday. There were no fatalities and apparently no oil leak.

NSF awards two grants

The National Science Foundation is awarding a Mississippi State University assistant professor almost $200,000 in rapid response funding to study the Deepwater Horizon oil spill impact on Louisiana salt marshes. Deepak Mishra's project is assessing overall salt marsh health and productivity by comparing pre- and post-spill satellite images. Mishra says the maps and tools developed during the one-year study will aid coastal managers in Louisiana as they evaluate and prioritize the large-scale marsh restoration efforts. (Source: MSU, 08/31/10) In another NSF rapid response grant, a University of Alabama molecular biologist was awarded $110,000 to study tiny, transparent animals that live in Gulf Coast waters. Matthew Jenny, an assistant professor of biological sciences at UA, will study sea anemones, small animals related to the corals that build ocean reefs. Jenny, working in collaboration with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, will collect anemones from coastal waters of Alabama to Louisiana. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 08/27/10)

Kemp's Ridley turtles released

GULFPORT, Miss. - Four endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtles were released Monday into Mississippi Sound after being healed at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies. The turtles were caught by fishermen in May and June. Three were treated for hook wounds after being caught at local piers. The fourth had been in what officials said was critical condition after being revived on a shrimp boat. IMMS President and Executive Director Moby Solangi believes since Mississippi waters didn’t have as much oil as other states, more wildlife sought refuge from the crude here. (Source: Sun Herald, 08/30/10)

Degraded oil tested for dispersant

Degraded oil collected in the Mississippi Sound tested positive for several of the main ingredients in Corexit, the dispersant used to break up oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. That's according to scientists working for a New Orleans-based lawyer. The oil was collected a mile north of Horn Island Aug. 9. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 08/31/10) Earlier this month, Dauphin Island Sea Lab Director George Crozier and Robert Shipp, chairman of the University of South Alabama's Marine Sciences Department, said at a lecture that using dispersants to combat the spill will cause problems in the northern Gulf of Mexico for years to come, but not because the chemicals used to break up the crude pose any health risk. They said the problem is that by suspending bits of oil in the water column, generations of filter-feeding organisms could be lost in portions of the northern Gulf. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 08/28/10)

Funds to improve university connectivity

Mississippi will get a portion of $20 million being awarded by the National Science Foundation to enhance broadband access and bolster connectivity for academic research. NSF awarded 17 universities or state education groups. In one project, money will be used so Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, University of Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi can expand Gigabit accessibility to researchers in modeling and multiscale simulations of complex systems. The upgrade will bolster the state's capacity to pursue collaborative research in biological systems simulation, computational biology, and computational chemistry. Another project in Louisiana is also of interest to Mississippi. That state will receive money to extend the high-bandwidth optical network of the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative to Xavier University in New Orleans. LONI provides cyber infrastructure across Louisiana, and includes Mississippi’s four research universities. LONI is Mississippi’s connection to the National LambdaRail, a coast-to-coast broadband network for advanced research. Each award provides just over $1 million for up to two years. (Source: NSF, 08/25/10)

NIUST gets $4.87M

The University of Mississippi-led National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology is getting $4.87 million in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The funding will be used for infrastructure costs associated with operating and managing the institute, as well as for individual research projects. NIUST was established in 2002 through a cooperative agreement involving the University of Mississippi, the University of Southern Mississippi and NOAA's Undersea Research Program. NOAA also released $999,000 for the nonprofit Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Miss. (Source: WLOX-TV, Mississippi Business Journal, 08/18/10) NIUST has three divisions, including the Undersea Vehicles Technology Center at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

Underwater oil subject of search

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A three-pronged search of the Mississippi Sound for underwater oil will begin this week and will include Vessels of Opportunity and six Mississippi-owned skimmers, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality officials said Tuesday. Trudy Fisher, MDEQ executive director, said the search for submerged oil would provide a complete picture of whether any oil remains in the water. The search will extend from Mobile Bay to the Louisiana state line. (Source: Mississippi Press, 08/18/10)

New study ups remaining oil estimate

A team of Georgia researchers using government data estimates that as much as 79 percent of the oil spilled from the Deepwater Horizon well remains at large in the Gulf of Mexico. The estimate is by researchers with the University of Georgia and Georgia Sea Grant. Two weeks ago the federal government issued a report saying three quarters of the oil had been captured, burned, dispersed, evaporated, degraded or dissolved in the water. The Georgia report, unlike the federal analysis, was not subject to peer review. (Source: New York Times, USA Today, 08/17/10)

Study to focus on salt marshes

The National Science Foundation has awarded a rapid response grant to scientist Eugene Turner of Louisiana State University and colleagues to measure the impacts of oil and dispersants on Gulf Coast salt marshes. The researchers will track short-term and longer-term exposure to oil and dispersants. The coast of Louisiana is lined with extensive salt marshes whose foundation is two species of Spartina grass. The biologists will document changes in these critically-important grasses, as well as in the growth of other salt marsh plants, and in marsh animals and microbes. The grant is one of many Gulf oil spill-related rapid response awards made by NSF. The agency so far has made more than 60 awards totaling nearly $7 million. (Source: NSF, 08/16/10)

Oil recovery panel created

Gov. Haley Barbour has created a panel of scientists, business leaders and local officials to study the impact of the BP oil disaster and come up with a long-term recovery plan. The Mississippi Gulf of Mexico Commission will be a 34-member board of scientists and business leaders, with representatives of local governments serving as ex-officio members. The panel will work with the Gulf of Mexico Alliance and various state agencies to develop a plan to submit to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, the former governor of Mississippi. (Source: Sun Herald, 08/16/10)

Project harvests 3,000 pounds of shrimp

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - An aquaculture project at the Gulf Coast Research Lab has harvested about 3,000 pounds of shrimp, the largest since the program began in the mid-1980s. The project is designed to show the viability of raising saltwater shrimp at a commercial facility. Eight of a dozen tanks at the Cedar Point lab were drained Tuesday morning, yielding the shrimp. The tanks are 100 feet long, 11 feet wide and 30 inches deep. Jeff Lotz, chairman of the University of Southern Mississippi Department of Coast Sciences and director of the marine aquaculture program at GCRL, said the program aims to harvest about 500 pounds of shrimp per tank every 13 weeks, the minimal production for a commercial facility. (Source: Mississippi Press, 08/11/10)

Sea level rise topic of study

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $750,000 for the first year of a $3 million research project to develop the information and tools needed to plan for sea level rise and other consequences of climate change along more than 300 miles of the northern Gulf of Mexico’s shoreline. The study team, led by Dr. Scott Hagen of the University of Central Florida, will develop sea level rise computer models to predict the impacts storms and rising water levels pose to an area between coastal Mississippi and Northwest Florida. The area being studied has three sites in NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserve System. (Source: NOAA, 08/05/10)

Cement in well has hardened

BP says the cement sealing the oil well in the Gulf of Mexico has hardened and engineers can now begin drilling the final 100 feet of a relief well meant to permanently seal the blowout. The company said it will be next weekend before the two wells meet. The company used pressure tests to confirm the cement from the static kill had hardened. (Source: AP via Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, 08/08/10) The Deepwater Horizon blew up April 20, killing 11 workers. Some 4.9 million barrels of oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico until the well was capped July 15. It's the worst offshore spill in U.S. history.

State waters opened

All state waters in Mississippi will open to commercial and recreational fishing late Friday. The reopening involves all territorial waters including those south of the barrier islands to finfish and shrimp fishing that were closed because due to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. All commercial and recreational crab and oyster fishing remain closed in the affected areas. (Source: Sun Herald, 08/06/10) The Deepwater Horizon spewed millions of gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico between April 20 and July 15. It’s now been sealed with heavy mud and cement.

Scientists: Most of leaked oil gone

Some three-quarters of the oil from the BP spill is has been captured, burned off, evaporated or broken down. That's according to a federal report released today based on estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of the Interior. The figure is based on 4.9 million barrels of oil released from the well between April 20 and July 15, when the ruptured Deepwater Horizon well was capped. Heavy mud was packed into the well between Tuesday and today. (Sources: Multiple, including NOAA, USAToday, Bloomberg, 08/04/10)

Well killed by heavy mud

The BP well that spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico has been killed by heavy drilling mud. BP made the announcement early Wednesday. Technicians will determine, perhaps as soon as today, whether to follow the mud with cement that would seal the well permanently. (Source: McClatchy via Sun Herald, 08/04/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil flowed freely until a cap was put in place July 15.

New oil spill estimate released

A new analysis by government scientists says the runaway well in the Gulf of Mexico gushed 4.9 million barrels, or 205.8 million gallons of oil, the largest accident spill ever. The well spewed out 62,000 barrels a day initially, then eased to 53,000 barrels a day until it was capped July 15, according to the Flow Rate Technical Group. Of that, some 800,000 barrels were captured. The new numbers were released Monday night. It's considerably higher than the 138 million gallons from the Ixtoc I blowout in 1979. A pumping test and a "static kill" at the site will be delayed until Tuesday after a small hydraulic leak was discovered in the capping stack hydraulic control system. (Sources: Washington Post, Bloomberg, AFP, 08/02/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. BP leased the rig from Transocean.

Sound opened for fishing

BILOXI, Miss. - The Mississippi Sound reopened today for recreational catch and consumption after a nearly four-week closure due to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources closed the Sound in the first week of July, then reopened it a week ago for catch-and-release purposes. Now, anglers will be allowed to keep their catch. The opening includes all waters in the Mississippi Sound to the barrier islands, not the waters south of the islands. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/30/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas spewed into the Gulf of Mexico until a cap was put in placed and fully closed July 15. Oil on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico has diminished since through weathering, microbe action and skimming. The long-term impact, however, is still unclear. The well is expected to be permanently capped next week.

Scientists discuss spill impact at forum

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Scientists from the Gulf Coast Research Lab presented a more hopeful picture about the effects of the oil on the environment. They said lab tests show bacteria eat both the oil and dispersant, and researchers are having a hard time finding the underwater plumes that existed earlier in the oil disaster. The comments were made during a lecture Thursday night. In another matter, Bill Hawkins, director of GCRL, said no one on his staff is on retainer to do research for BP. A report in the Mobile Press-Register earlier this month said BP was trying to hire scientists to do research under condition they not release any of their findings for three years. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/29/10, Mississippi Press, 07/30/10)

Permanent plug before Aug. 1 possible

BP may move up the schedule for its effort to permanently plug the Gulf of Mexico well that caused the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The static kill would involve pumping mud into the top of the well and perhaps sealing it with cement, and may be done before Aug. 1. The well was capped July 15, and no oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since then. Government scientists decided no leaks will be triggered by a static kill. (Source: Bloomberg, 07/29/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Millions of gallons of oil spewed into the water until it was capped in the middle of the month. Oil that had been on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico has been vanishing through weathering, oil-eating microbes and skimming operations. Scientists believe oil is also still in the water but out of sight.

Oil spill Day 100

It's been nearly two weeks since oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico thanks to a temporary cap that sealed the geyser July 15. Bob Dudley, the new chief executive of BP, said he doesn't think any more oil will gush into the Gulf of Mexico. A permanent fix will come in mid-August when relief wells reach their target and the pipe is sealed with mud and cement. Significantly less crude is floating on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, some breaking up due to weathering and oil-eating bacteria, some remaining sub-surface. Consequences of the spill may take years to identify, and BP's compensation fund should be flexible enough to account for long-term losses, a panel of experts from Alaska's Exxon Valdez tanker spill told a Senate panel Tuesday. The April 20 explosion the Deepwater Horizon killed 11 workers and gushed up to 184 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. (Sources: Multiple, 07/28/10)

Scientists to discuss oil spill impact

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Scientists from the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Lab will discuss the impact of the oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem at the next Issues and Answers lecture series Thursday night. The series, sponsored by the Sun Herald and USM, will be at the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center. USM's Bill Hawkins, the panel moderator, said it may take years to know the full effects of the spill on the water and the marine life, but he hopes the lecture will help people understand what is going on. (Source: Sun Herald, USM, 07/24/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. The ruptured well spilled oil and gas into the Gulf of Mexico until July 15. A permanent fix is expected early next month. 

Drill rig, others, returning to spill site

Tropical Storm Bonnie has weakened into a tropical depression, so a drilling rig and a dozen other ships working to repair the busted oil well in the Gulf of Mexico are returning. Workers on Friday moved away from the projected path, but since then the threat has diminished. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, leader of the federal response, said Saturday it will take 24 to 36 hours to get the drilling ship back at the site, and at least a week before drilling can begin again. The well has been capped for more than a week. Vessels relaying video images and seismic readings from undersea robots monitoring the leaky well are still in place and may be able to stay. (Sources: New York Times, AP via Mobile Press-Register, 07/24/10)

Well to remain plugged

Ships over the crippled well in the Gulf of Mexico were ordered to evacuate ahead of Tropical Storm Bonnie, but the leaky cap fixed to the well head will remain closed while they are gone. The storm could delay another 12 days the push to plug the well using mud and cement. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 07/22/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers.

Well deemed OK; new fix eyed

BP is considering a plan that could permanently seal the oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. Kent Wells, a senior vice president for BP, said the company was studying a "static kill" in which heavy mud would be pumped into the capped well, forcing the oil and gas back down into the reservoir. A decision to proceed could be made in several days. Meanwhile, scientists Monday determined that methane gas seeping from the seafloor nearly two miles from the well was a natural occurrence and not related to a pressure test to assess the well's condition. (Source: New York Times, 07/19/10)

Leak detected away from well

A leak has been detected a distance from the wellhead that was capped Thursday to stop the flow of oil and gas into the Gulf of Mexico. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's oil spill response director, ordered BP to prepare to open the cap at the wellhead should the seepage be confirmed. No information was available on the size of the leak, the distance from the wellhead or how it was discovered. (Sources: CNN, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Bloomberg, 07/18/10)

Cap may remain shut

BP executive Doug Suttles said Sunday that a cap used to shut off the oil geyser in the Gulf of Mexico seems to be holding, and may remain shut until a relief well can provide a permanent fix later this month or next month. That differs from the plan the federal government laid out Saturday, which calls for temporarily releasing oil into the Gulf while the cap is connected to tankers at the surface. (Sources: Washington Post, AP via Houston Chronicle, 07/18/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil flowed into the water until a cap was put in place last week.

"A Whale" fails

The massive oil skimmer "A Whale" has proven inefficient in sucking up oil in the Gulf of Mexico spill. The oil is too dispersed to take advantage of the converted Taiwanese supertanker's enormous capacity, said Bob Grantham, a spokesman for shipowner TMT. The 10-story-tall, 1,100-foot-long ship boasted it could process 21 million gallons oily water a day. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/16/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil had been leaking into the Gulf of Mexico until it was capped during the week. Officials are still monitoring the cap to ensure it's working.

Oil flow stopped

BP says oil has stopped leaking into the Gulf for the first time since April. BP slowly dialed 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. The 2:25 p.m. CDT shutoff of the oil is a significant milestone in BP's effort to stop the flow of oil and gas. (Source: AP, 07/15/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has soiled coastlines from Texas to Northwest Florida. A relief well to permanently seal the leak is proceeding.

Test of well cap under way

A test is under way on a new, tighter cap over the leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico. The government gave the go-ahead for the test after a daylong delay prompted by concerns that the cap might make the leak worse. The oil has been leaking into the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. (Sources: Multiple, 07/14/10)

Well cap test delayed

A test to see if the Gulf of Mexico oil spill can be stopped with a cap placed over the well has been delayed to allow experts more time to review its safety and effectiveness. The test was expected Tuesday but the delay of at least 24 hours will allow for further analysis. Federal officials are concerned that closing the cap valves now letting oil and gas escape through the top might cause leaks elsewhere along the line. (Source: Multiple, including Wall Street Journal, BBC, New York Times, 07/14/10)

New cap being tested

BP has placed a new, tight-fitting cap on the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico and will test it to see if it can withstand the pressure of the oil and gas. Oil from the well has been spewing into the Gulf of Mexico since the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon April 20. In another matter, a new moratorium, no longer based on water depth, was issued on deep-water offshore drilling. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar argued that a pause is needed to ensure that oil and gas companies implement safety measures. It will remain in effect until November. (Source: Multiple, 07/13/10)

Oil, gas, pouring freely in Gulf of Mexico

Oil is now pouring freely from the pipe in the Gulf of Mexico. The old cap, which did not fit well, was removed Saturday and a new one that will fit more tightly will be put in place. The cap could be put in place by Monday, but the whole process will take serveral days. BP hopes the new cap will allow all of the leaking oil – as much as 80,000 barrels a day – to be captured. A permanent fix is not expected until relief wells are in place later this month or next month. (Sources: Multiple, 07/11/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico ever since. Oil has washed ashore in five states.

New well cap may offer relief

BP plans to remove the loose cap over its gushing well in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday and replace it with a firm one that could capture almost all the oil and gas gushing out. The plan is to have it in place by Monday. If the process works, workers would funnel the leaking oil into tankers on the surface, meaning no additional oil and gas will gush into the Gulf waters. National Incident Commander Thad Allen announced late Friday that he approved a detailed timeline submitted by BP. The best hope for stopping the leaks are two relief wells. (Sources: Multiple, including Washington Post, 07/10/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has leaked since then and has washed ashore from Texas to Northwest Florida.

Giant skimmer to get more testing

That giant skimmer called “A Whale” will get another week of testing in the Gulf of Mexico. Tests last weekend were inconclusive. The Taiwanese tanker was converted into a skimmer and tested last weekend, but six-foot waves limited the flow of oily water into the six intake vents. The company that owns the ship claims it can process 21 million gallons of oily water a day. (Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 07/08/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil from the broken well has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico ever since.

Oil flow to end this month?

A BP executive said the gushing oil may be stopped this month. The long-anticipated "bottom kill" of the well, a dose of mud and cement shot through a relief well now being drilled, could take place before the end of July. "In a perfect world with no interruptions, it's possible to be ready to stop the well between July 20 and July 27," BP managing director Bob Dudley said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. (Source: Wall Street Journal, 07/08/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. The well has spewed oil into the Gulf of Mexico ever since.

Containment vessel hooks up

A new containment vessel is partially linked to the gushing well in the Gulf of Mexico. Officials said they'll know soon if it's properly connected. The Helix Producer can gather up to 25,000 barrels of oil a day. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 07/06/10). Oil has now hit all the Gulf Coast states, with a tar balls coming ashore in Texas. Oil has also made its way into Lake Pontchartrain. (Sources: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/06/10) A Navy airship, MZ-3A, has been assigned to the Gulf Coast to be used in the Deepwater Horizon response. It will be used to spot and monitor oil to support skimming operations and will also help find endangered animals to help responders. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/06/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. It has been spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico ever since. Relief wells, seen as the best hope at stopping the flow, are getting closer.

Huge skimmer test inconclusive

Testing of a 10-story tall skimmer that's seen as a best hope for sucking up oil in the Gulf of Mexico has been inconclusive because of rough seas. The vessel can pull in 21 million gallons of water a day. Tests will continue. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 07/05/10) A ban on fishing in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico has been extended to an area south of Vermilion Bay, La. About a third of the Gulf is now closed to fishing. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 07/05/10) BP's costs for the oil spill is now just over $3 billion. It was $2.65 billion a week ago. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 07/05/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas have spewed into the Gulf of Mexico ever since, soiling the coastlines and wildlife from Louisiana to Florida. The tourism and fishing industries have taken a huge hit.

Whale sharks target of study

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss.- Renowned oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle teamed with Dr. Eric Hoffmayer of the Gulf Coast Research Lab to study the impact of the Deepwater Horizon spill on Gulf of Mexico whale sharks. They spent three days in the Gulf of Mexico and found more than 100 whale sharks 90 miles south of Grand Isle, La., some 60 miles west of the oil spill. They tagged four of the sharks. Whale sharks suck in marine organisms at the surface of the water for food, and may be ingesting oil with their food. Earle is an explorer-in-residence at National Geographic. Earle's "Mission Blue" is a quest to protect hot spots in the world’s oceans. (Source: WLOX-TV, 07/01/10)

BP oil spill sets record

The BP oil spill has now eclipsed the size of the 1979 spill off the coast of Mexico, according to the Associated Press. The BP spill was already being called the worst in U.S. history. The spill started April 20 with the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon. It's now estimated to have spilled 140.6 million gallons of oil into Gulf waters, based on the highest of the federal government's estimates. The Ixtoc I spill in Mexico was 140 million gallons. (Source: USA Today, 07/01/10)

Scientist: Oil in estuarine food chain

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Scientists at the University of Southern Mississippi have found oil in the postlarvae of blue crabs entering coastal marshes along the Gulf Coast. Harriet Perry, director of the Center for Fisheries Research and Development at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, found droplets of hydrocarbons in blue crab and fiddler crab larvae. The oil appears to be trapped between the hard, outer shell of the crab and its inner skin. Perry said she's sampled Mississippi coastal waters for 42 years and has never seen this. (Source: Sun Herald, 07/01/10)

EPA: Dispersant less risky than oil

The Environmental Protection Agency released its first report on the dispersant Corexit 9500, which BP has applied to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The EPA concluded that the oil dispersant is less harmful than the oil spill after testing the dispersant on marine animals in a lab setting. EPA's assistant administrator for research and development, Paul Anastas, said in this crisis oil is the No. 1 public enemy. He said, however, that it's too early to tell the long-term impact. (Source: Washington Post, 06/30/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, and oil has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico ever since. A relief well is nearing its goal.

"A Whale" awaits

NEW ORLEANS, La. - A huge ship that was refitted to skim for oil is now at the mouth of the Mississippi River awaiting approval to skim for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. The ship, called "A Whale," arrived in the Gulf on Wednesday. Built in South Korea, the originally was designed as a cargo vessel. It can skim 250 times as much as the modified fishing boats now skimming in the Gulf of Mexico. (Source: CNN, 07/01/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20 and the pipe a mile under the Gulf of Mexico has been spewing oil ever since. A relief well is getting close to its target.

Relief well nearing target

BP says the rig drilling the relief well to stop the Gulf oil spill has made it within about 20 feet horizontally of the well. The rig is going to drill an additional 900 feet before crews cut in sideways and start pumping in heavy mud to try to stop the flow from the damaged well. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/28/10) BP’s mounting costs for capping and cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico spill have reached $2.65 billion. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/28/10)

System a game-changer in mine warfare

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The commanding officer of the mine warfare center called the system a game-changer that affirms Naval Oceanography’s mine warfare role. The new mine detection method is more selective and does the work in less time than in the past. The concept of centralized data fusion was proven during a mine warfare exercise earlier this month in Norfolk, Va. Data fusion takes information from multiple sources and "fuses" them into a stream more useful for analysis. Experts from Stennis Space Center's Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center and the Naval Oceanographic Office processed a majority of the data, fused and conducted analysis on all of the mine-like contacts, then advised which required diver identification. It reduced by 57 percent the number of mine-like objects that had to be checked. In the past analysis took four times as long as data collection - this time it was 0.7 as long. The data fusion and analysis used upgraded software developed by the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis. "We've never operated at this level before,” said Lt. Cmdr. Scott Parker, whose squad operated 14 unmanned underwater vehicles from multiple organizations collecting data. "It was a game-changer for mine warfare, and Naval Oceanography's role in it," said Cmdr. Matthew Borbash, NOMWC commanding officer. (Source: NNS, 06/28/10)

Concerns raised over grants

The $500 million BP has committed over 10 years for academic research into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has pleased a lot of researchers who have in the past found research funding hard to get. But there's some concern about the White House ordering BP to consult with Gulf Coast governors before awarding grants. And some are also concerned that the research may leave out the expertise from key institutions outside the Gulf of Mexico region. (Source: Los Angeles Times, 06/26/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas has gushed into the Gulf of Mexico since then with no end expected until August, when relief wells are in place.

NSF grant studies beached oil

Researchers who studied a stretch of coastline from Alabama's Dauphin Island to the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island in Florida found cleanup efforts still leave behind numerous small tar balls that wind up buried in the sand. It will take longer for these decay. The study by University of South Florida geologists was funded by the National Science Foundation's Rapid Response grant. (Source: NSF, 06/25/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas have spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since then, despite attempts to mitigate the flow. Oil in various forms has washed into marshes and beaches from Louisiana to Florida, and a slick remains in the Gulf of Mexico.

Team focuses on oil plume

Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA, embarked on June 17 for a 12-day research effort in the Gulf of Mexico to characterize subsurface oil plumes. They are aboard the research vessel Endeavor conducting projects funded through the National Science Foundation rapid response program. The research should help answer questions about the extent, chemical composition and biological impact of subsea plumes. The research pulls together some of the most advanced technology for underwater chemical sampling and underwater autonomous vehicles. The team has studied archived oil spill reports stretching back 40 years and has received data and advice from colleagues at other institutions who recently surveyed the site. (Source: NSF, 06/22/10)

Cap reattached; Dudley now in charge

BP had to remove a cap that was containing some of the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico after an underwater robot bumped the venting system. It was reattached late Wednesday, but not before spewing additional oil and gas into the water. (Source: Washington Post, 06/23/10) In another spill matter, BP put Mississippi native Bob Dudley in charge of handling the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Wednesday. Dudley, who grew up in Hattiesburg, Miss., is now the point man in the mission to stop the oil gusher and deal with the economic damage it has caused. (Source: AP via New Orleans Times-Picayune, 06/23/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas have spewed into the Gulf of Mexico ever since.

Some Omega Protein boats return

MOSS POINT, Miss. - Four of the nine boats that left the Omega Protein facility in Moss Point in April have returned and prospects are looking good that the others will also be back, company officials said. Omega Protein's fleet stationed in Moss Point was moved to Louisiana on April 30 as areas of the Gulf of Mexico were closed to fishing due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The vessels worked out of the company's facilities at Abbeville, La., and Cameron, La. Omega Protein produces Omega-3 fish oil and specialty fish meal products. (Source: Mississippi Press, 06/22/10) Previous story

Judge blocks moratorium

NEW ORLEANS, La. - A federal judge blocked the administration's six-month ban on new deepwater drilling that was imposed in the wake of an ongoing oil spill. The judge said the Interior Department failed to provide adequate reasoning. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar later said he'll issue a new moratorium in coming days with the reason it's needed. The request to overturn the moratorium came from several companies that provide services to offshore drilling rigs. (Source: Washington Post, 06/22/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since. Efforts to capture oil from the well have improved incrementally. An oil slick remains in the Gulf of Mexico, generally moving eastward. Coastlines in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have been soiled, and cleanup efforts are ongoing.

Summit on spill scheduled

LONG BEACH, Miss. – A summit is scheduled for June 30 at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, Miss. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Oil Spill Disaster Recovery Summit is from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Fleming Education Center auditorium. It will focus on the potential long-term impacts on the environment, the economy and the well-being of Mississippi Gulf Coast citizens. The idea is to begin development of community-wide strategies to respond and recover. The free summit, open to the public, is hosted by the Center for Policy and Resilience at USM Gulf Coast in collaboration with the South Mississippi Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters. Registration is required by Monday, June 28. The registration form and additional information can be found at the summit Web site. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 06/22/10)

Hayward hands over spill chores

BP chief executive Tony Hayward is handing over day-to-day responsibility for managing the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to the company's American managing director, Robert Dudley. Word came from BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg in an interview on Britain's Sky News network. Dudley became a BP managing director a year ago with oversight responsibility for the company's activities in the Americas and Asia. BP officials later clarified that the process of the turnover has just begun, and Hayward will remain in charge until the leak is stopped. (Source: Washington Post, 06/18/10) Meanwhile, environmental scientists are looking at the Mississippi River as a potential ally in the battle to minimize damage to beaches and coastal wetlands. (Source: NSF, 06/18/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil, many times more than spilled in the Exxon Valdez, has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since.

Threat: More dead zones?

The oil gushing from the busted well in the Gulf of Mexico contains about 40 percent methane and could suffocate marine life and create "dead zones." That's according to John Kessler, a Texas A&M University oceanographer who's studying the impact of methane from the spill. Dead zones are areas where oxygen is so depleted nothing lives. "This is the most vigorous methane eruption in modern human history," Kessler said. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/18/10) Efforts to recover the oil took a step forward with 25,000 barrels captured Thursday by two different surface vessels, according to Coast Guard Adm. Thad W. Allen. But there's still oil and gas surging from around a containment cap on the damaged BP wellhead, Allen said. (Source: Washington Post, 06/18/10)

BP agrees to escrow account

BP and the administration reached an agreement where the oil company will place $20 billion in an escrow account to pay claims resulting from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (Source: Washington Post, 06/16/10) BP has started burning oil siphoned from the ruptured well as part of its plans to more than triple the amount of crude it's capturing. The burner could incinerate up to 420,000 gallons of oil daily once it's fully operational. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/16/10) The rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. The well has spewed oil into the Gulf of Mexico since, soiling coastlines, killing wildlife and impacting businesses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

BP announces first $25M for research

The Northern Gulf Institute at Stennis Space Center, Miss., will receive $10 million to study the impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. NGI is one of three groups getting a total of $25 million in initial funding from BP. The company three weeks ago pledged $500 million for a 10-year program of research, the Gulf Coast Research Initiative, in the wake of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and subsequent massive oil spill. On Tuesday it announced the first installment. NGI is a consortium led by Mississippi State University. Other members are the University of Southern Mississippi, Louisiana State University, Florida State University and Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Mobile, Ala. Another $10 million is going to the Florida Institute of Oceanography, a consortium of 20 institutions with marine science interests, including 11 state universities. It’s led by the University of South Florida. The remaining $5 million is going to Louisiana State University, which has been promised $10 million over 10 years. In a related matter, the director of the National Institutes of Health told a House committee Tuesday that the institutes will spend $10 million on research on the potential health impacts of the spill. (Source: Multiple, including New York Times, OilVoice, ENewsParkForest, 06/15/10)

Mabus to head Gulf restoration plan

President Barack Obama told the nation that in the coming days and weeks, new efforts to stem the flow of crude into the Gulf of Mexico "should capture up to 90 percent of the oil." Obama in his Tuesday night speech from the Oval Office also named Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, former governor of Mississippi, to develop a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan that will be designed by states, local communities and other stakeholders from the Gulf Coast. The president called the leak an epidemic that will be fought "for months and even years." Obama, who spent the last two days on the Gulf Coast, said he'll meet with the chairman of BP Wednesday "and inform him that he is to set aside whatever resources are required to compensate the workers and business owners who have been harmed as a result of his company's recklessness." He said the fund will be administered by an independent third party. (Source: Tcp, 06/15/10)

New flow estimate released

There's a new estimate for the size of the Gulf oil spill. Scientists said the well is leaking between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels a day. Previous estimates put the size as 20,000 to 40,000 barrels a day. The numbers are based on an analysis of high-resolution video taken by underwater robots, pressure meters, sonar, and measurements of oil collected by the containment device on top of the well. (Source: Washington Post, 06/15/10). Earlier today, a lightning strike caused a fire and forced BP to shut down a system that's been capturing oil from the well. The fire was extinguished and the system restarted five hours later. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 06/15/10) President Barack Obama wrapped up a two-day visit to the Gulf Coast Tuesday. He's scheduled to give an evening talk from the Oval Office. (Multiple, 06/15/10) The Deepwater Horizon blew up April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has gushed into the Gulf of Mexico since then and has soiled parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

New procedure to capture oil has risks

BP unveiled a plan to boost the amount of oil it's siphoning from a ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico. It's sending more vessels to the site to increase its ability to capture oil, going from 15,000 barrels a day to more than 50,000 barrels by the end of this month and as much as 80,000 barrels a day by mid-July. Plans call for attaching a pipe to a part of the blowout preventer used in the failed "top kill" effort, and burning off any retrieved oil. But BP says the "junk" fired into the blowout preventer during top kill could clog the lines, which are not intended for continuous use and could erode. (Sources: Multiple, including Reuters, Christian Science Monitor, 06/14/10) President Barack Obama is in the Gulf Coast for a two-day visit. He warned of hard times to come, but also touted the region's continued viability for tourists. (Sources: Multiple, including Los Angeles Times, 06/14/10) Obama will address the nation Tuesday and Wednesday will meet with BP executives. The Deepwater Horizon blew up April 20, killing 11 workers. The spill has soiled 120 miles of coastline, damaged the fishing and tourism industry and has killed birds, sea turtles and dolphins.

NOAA grant awarded to SURA

A $4 million NOAA grant will help a university consortium evaluate the readiness of marine forecasts, such as flooding from storm surge or seasonal dead zones, along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts and improve those forecasts for use by emergency managers, scientific researchers and the general public. The grant will go to the Southeastern Universities Research Assocation, a group of more than 60 universities, including those from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. (Source: NOAA, 06/11/10)

Estimate of size of leak up

The Deepwater Horizon well is spewing at least 25,000 barrels of oil a day, and may be producing 40,000 or even 50,000 barrels a day. That's according to preliminary research from two teams of scientists appointed by the federal government to study the flow into the Gulf of Mexico. But another scientific team using a different methodology estimates a flow of 12,600 to 21,500 barrels. (Source: Washington Post, 06/10/10) Meanwhile, heavier concentrations of oil from the well have begun to hit Florida shores. (Source: Reuters, 06/10/10) Congressional leaders are increasing pressure on BP to fully compensate economic victims of the spill. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/10/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has spewed in the Gulf of Mexico since then.

Underwater plumes confirmed

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed underwater oil plumes as far as 142 miles from the BP oil spill. But concentrations are said to be "very low." NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said that the tests conducted at three sites by a University of South Florida research vessel confirmed oil as far as 3,300 feet below the surface. (Source: Multiple, including AP, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, 06/08/10) BP says the cost of the company's response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has reached about $1.25 billion, not including $360 million for a project to build six sand berms meant to protect Louisiana's wetlands. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/07/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has poured into the Gulf of Mexico since. Shorelines from Louisiana to Florida have been soiled by oil, often in the form of tarballs, but much of the slick remains in the Gulf. A cap is now capturing some of the oil, and a larger one will be put over the well next month. It will be August before relief wells to stop the leak are in place. There have been numerous reports of dead animals.

Cap recovering 10,000 barrels a day

The cap that was placed on the well that's been spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico is capturing some 10,000 barrels per day, about half the estimated flow. That's according to Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is commanding the federal response to the spill. (Source: New York Times, 06/06/10) NOAA has opened more than 16,000 square miles of previously closed fishing area off the Florida coast, including a 13,653-square mile area just west of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. It was initially closed June 2 as a precaution, but the review of satellite imagery, radar and aerial data indicated that oil had not moved into the area. Additionally, the agency closed a 2,275-square mile area off the Florida panhandle federal-state waterline, extending the northern boundary just east of the western edge of Choctawhatchee Bay. The closed area now represents 78,182 square miles, about 32 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters. (Source: NOAA, 06/04/10)

Some oil being captured from cap

Oil continues to leak into the Gulf of Mexico, but a cap placed on the well is allowing some of the oil to be collected. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said at a news conference today that BP collected 6,000 barrels of oil in the first 24 hours of pumping oil to a ship on the surface. It plans to slowly close four vents on top of the containment cap to reduce the escaping oil. (Sources: Multiple, including AP, USAToday, 06/05/10) The shorelines of four states have been soiled with oil – some of it with the consistency of melted chocolate, some as tar balls. The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Some 19,000 barrels of oil a day is leaking into the Gulf of Mexico. Multiple efforts to contain it have failed. It will be August before relief wells are in place. Computer models show the oil could wind up on the East Coast and eventually be carried across the Atlantic toward Europe.

Spill offers research bonanza

BATON ROUGE, La. - As terrible as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is, it offers an opportunity for research for generations. Scientists and federal officials gathered at Louisiana State University Thursday for a day-long brainstorming. "We're here to find out what we know, what we don't know and what we need to know," said Robert Gagosian, president of the nonprofit Consortium for Ocean Leadership, which organized the event. An oceanographer at the Naval Research Lab at Stennis Space Center, Miss., Sonia Gallegos, last year received NASA funding to study spills. She said she wanted a small spill, but not something like this. She lives two blocks from the beach in Bay St. Louis and said the spill breaks her heart. (Source: Washington Post, 06/03/10)

Pipe cut, capping next

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said BP has successfully sliced off a pipe in an effort to contain the oil that's gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. He said the cap was over the gusher and will be lowered today. In this method, oil will be pumped to the surface. The best chance to plug the leak with relief wells is still two months away. (Source: Washington Post, 06/03/10) The area closed to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico represents 88,502 square miles, about 37 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters. (Source: NOAA, 06/02/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico ever since. Attempts to stem the flow so far have failed. Most of the oil has come ashore in Louisiana.

Criminal probe launched

The government has launched a criminal and civil investigation into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday after meeting with state and federal prosecutors in New Orleans. (Source: Reuters via Washington Post, 06/01/10) Meanwhile, Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi said oil has nearly reached Petit Bois Island, south of Jackson County, Miss. His comment came during a conference call to update the media on the ongoing effort to fend off the oil. (Source: Sun Herald, 06/01/10). Oil is expected to hit Alabama shores Wednesday afternoon. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 06/01/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas have leaked from the well ever since, and efforts to stem the flow have failed.

Oil may leak until August

Obama administration and BP officials said oil could continue flowing into the Gulf of Mexico until August, when relief wells are finished. Presidential adviser Carol Browner said on the CBS show Face the Nation that the American people need to know that's possible. The spill, already the worst in U.S. history, could get worse for several days as BP cuts a pipe that rises from the seabed, said Browner. The cut would remove the kink that’s been limiting the flow of oil. As much as 20 percent more oil could come out over four to seven days while a new containment method is put in place. BP gave up on the "top kill" method Saturday, and it now hopes to cap the well with a containment structure from which oil can be channeled to the surface and collected. (Source: Washington Post, 05/30/10)

BP's top kill fails

BP says the "top kill" method to stop the leak in the Gulf of Mexico has failed. The company tried for three days to stop the flow of oil by pumping heavy drilling mud into the leak, but most escaped from the riser. The company will now try a "lower marine riser package" that won't plug the well but instead capture most of the oil on the sea floor and channel it to the surface for collection. It will take four days to put in place. The rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has leaked into the Gulf of Mexico since then, and each effort to stop the flow has failed. It's now the worst spill in U.S. history. (Source: Multiple, including AP via Sun Herald, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, 05/29/10)

Universities offer research help

Gulf Coast universities are lining up to help study the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Mississippi's higher education commissioner, Hank Bounds, was on Capitol Hill during the week touting the state's research capabilities. "I think we have an obligation to make certain that we bring our intellectual capabilities into play," he said. (Source: Clarion Ledger, 05/27/10) Michael Carron, director of the Northern Gulf Institute at Stennis Space Center, Miss., was also in Washington. NGI is a consortium of universities that study the Gulf of Mexico. Carron said it will take years before the impact is fully known, along with millions in research dollars. He said BP has already committed $500 million. (Source: Sun Herald, 05/28/10) The BP well exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas has leaked into the Gulf of Mexico ever since. BP is currently trying to stop the leak by forcing heavy mud and debris into the pipe. NOAA has extended the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico. It now represents about 25 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters.

Study: Hurricanes can snap pipelines

A study by scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis Space Center, Miss., shows currents from hurricanes can reach deep underwater and rupture oil and natural gas pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico. Results of the study will be published next month by the American Geophysical Union. Researchers found that currents became so strong that they triggered mudslides big enough to break pipelines or other underwater equipment, and the stress can persist up to a week. Disruption of the seafloor, including mudslides, can reach depths of 300 feet. They came up with the findings after installing six sensors on the seafloor to record changes induced by hurricanes. The sensors looked at 2004's Hurricane Ivan, which disrupted several underwater pipelines in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Ivan damaged or destroyed 22 platforms and damaged and disrupted 13 undersea oil and natural gas pipelines. Researchers found that even storms far weaker than Ivan could disrupt the ocean floor, and that some breaks can go undetected. (Sources: Reuters, BBC, Discovery, 05/27/10) The Gulf of Mexico is already trying to cope with the oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon, and hurricane season begins next month.

Officials hopeful for "top kill"

Officials remain hopeful the "top kill" procedure to stem the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico is working as planned, but they're not ready to declare success. Early Thursday Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said BP had stopped the flow of oil. But BP's chief operating officer later said petroleum was still flowing. Once it stops, cement will be pumped in to seal the well. (Source: Los Angeles Times, 05/27/10) In other oil-related events Thursday, an underwater oil plume was found by University of South Florida researchers, adding to fears much of the spill is beneath the surface. (Source: Washington Post, Associated Press, 05/27/10) Thirty-three exploratory rigs operating in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico were told they'll have to shut down pending a review; and the director of Minerals Management Service, S. Elizabeth Birnbaum, resigned. (Sources: Multiple, 05/27/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Since then, oil from the well has flowed into the Gulf of Mexico and efforts to contain it have been unsuccessful. The spill is now called the worst in U.S. history. Louisiana has been impacted the most so far, with oil washing into marshlands.

Scientists: Gulf leak bigger than Valdez

Scientists say the amount of oil that's flowed into the Gulf of Mexico from a damaged BP well is much greater than originally believed, and has surpassed the 11 million gallons that spilled during the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska in 1989. U.S. Geological Survey Director Dr. Marcia McNutt said at a news conference Thursday that two teams of scientists using different methods have preliminarily determined that between 17 million and 27 million gallons of oil have gushed into the ocean so far. (Source: Washington Post, 05/27/10) Meanwhile, reports about the "top kill" method to stop the flow indicate it is working. The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has flowed into the Gulf of Mexico since then. Coastal communities have made preparations to brace for oil coming ashore. Louisiana has been hardest hit so far.

Top kill procedure working

Workers have stopped the flow of oil and gas into the Gulf of Mexico from a BP well, according to U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen. The "top kill" effort, launched Wednesday, had pumped enough drilling fluid to block oil and gas spewing from the well and drop the pressure, Allen said. Once the pressure drops to zero, workers will begin pumping cement into the hole to entomb the well. (Sources: Multiple, including Tribune Washington Bureau via Sun Herald, Los Angeles Times, 05/27/10)

NAVO, NOAA partner to monitor spill

The NOAA ship Thomas Jefferson is underway on a mission to deploy a variety of ocean monitoring instruments in the vicinity of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The instrumented floats, drifters and gliders, operated by the Naval Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space Center, Miss., will help researchers monitor the surface and deep currents, including the Loop Current, that are distributing the oil. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations operates the 208-foot hydrographic ship, homeported in Norfolk, Va. It was initially deployed to the Gulf in early April to conduct surveys to update nautical charts and to baseline benthic habitats in the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary. The data from the Naval Oceanographic Office instruments will be shared with the scientific community and used to improve the accuracy of circulation models in the Gulf of Mexico. A NOAA Lockheed WP-3D Orion also has been gathering data on the Loop Current while other NOAA aircraft have been mapping the spill's extent and surveying marine mammals in the affected area. (Source: NOAA, 05/26/10)

Anger over spill grows

Anger over the inability to stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico has been building for a long time, and now it's gushing out like the oil itself. There have also been numerous reports about angry fishermen who have offered to use their boats to help skim the oil, but they are sitting idle. (Source: Multiple, 05/26/10) Democrat strategist James Carville on "Good Morning America" lashed out at the Obama administration's "lackadaisical" response. "It just looks like (Obama is) not involved," Carville said. "Man, you got to get down here and take control of this, put somebody in charge of this thing and get moving. We're about to die down here." (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 05/26/10) Commerce Secretary Gary Locke on Monday declared the Gulf of Mexico a national fisheries disaster, citing the damage to the region's multibillion-dollar fishing industry by oil. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has closed nearly 20 percent of the commercial and recreational fisheries in the area because of the spill. Fisheries of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are covered by the disaster declaration, making them eligible for federal relief funds. (Source: CNN, 05/24/10, New York Times, 05/26/10)

Top kill procedure begins

BP has begun a critical maneuver to stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. BP engineers with 50,000 barrels of dense mud and a robotic submarines started the "top kill" maneuver around 1 p.m. CDT. Oil has been spewing into the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. The procedure involves pumping thousands of pounds of heavy fluids into a five-story stack of pipes in an effort to clog the well and stop the leak. (Source: New York Times, 05/26/10)

BP to try top kill Wednesday

BP engineers say they have the equipment in place and on Wednesday will try to stem the flow of oil with the “top kill” method - pumping heavy drilling mud into a massive device on top of the gushing well. The top kill has proven successful in aboveground wells, but has never before been tried a mile beneath the sea. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 05/25/10) The company is also looking at contingency plans should the top kill fail, including replacing the damaged riser pipe at the well, an option that would be available by the end of May. (Source: Bloomberg, 05/25/10) The April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon killed 11 workers. Oil has flowed into the Gulf of Mexico ever since. The oil slick has penetrated the marshes of Louisiana.

Shrimp season opening gets new test

The opening of the brown shrimp season in Mississippi waters should occur within the first two weeks of June. William Walker, executive director of the state Department of Marine Resources, was given authority to open the season when test trawls yield 68 shrimp per pound. Walker said he has added an additional test for the opening of shrimp season: testing shrimp for petroleum hydrocarbons. The test for petroleum hydrocarbons in shrimp tissue is a first, he said. "We think our seafood is just fine, We want to verify that," he said. Mississippi shrimp landings in 2008 were valued at $8.6 million. (Source: Mississippi Press, 05/24/10)

New attempt to stop leak upcoming

BP will try this week to dump heavy mud on the well leaking in the Gulf of Mexico, but whether that will work remains to be seen. Some 6 million gallons of crude has flowed into the Gulf, though some scientists think the amount is higher. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he's not completely confident BP knows what it's doing. The spill's impact now stretches across 150 miles, from Dauphin Island, Ala. to Grand Isle, La., with 65 miles of Louisiana oiled. BP said Sunday that the amount of oil siphoned by the mile-long tube inserted into the well had sharply dropped over a 24-hour period. (Source: AP, 05/23/10)

Oil leak update

It will be early next week before BP attempts to use heavy mud to stem the flow of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico. The method, called "top kill," involves pumping heavy drilling mud into the well. The well has been gushing oil into the Gulf of Mexico since the rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. In other oil-related events: booms filled with hair will not be used to keep oil from the shoreline because they get water soaked and sink; BP says it has no alternative dispersant to use after the EPA told it to find a less toxic dispersant; BP, after agreeing more oil is seeping into the water than reported, now says the higher estimates don't take into account the gas that's mixed in with the oil. (Source: Multiple, 05/22/10)

EPA wants less toxic dispersant

The Environmental Protection Agency told BP late Wednesday that the company has 24 hours to pick a less toxic form of chemical dispersants to break up its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, according to government sources familiar with the decision. It must apply the new form of dispersants within 72 hours of submitting the list of alternatives. The move suggests federal officials are concerned that the unprecedented use of dispersants could pose a significant threat to the Gulf of Mexico's marine life. An announcement is expected later today. (Source: Washington Post, 05/20/10)

Portion of oil enters loop

Federal scientists say a small portion of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico has entered the powerful loop current that will take it around the tip of Florida and up the east coast. The oil from the leaking well has generally stayed away from shorelines so far, save for parts of Louisiana. In a bid to stem the flow, officials from BP plan to shoot drilling mud into the Deepwater Horizon well, perhaps Sunday. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, Sun Herald, 05/19/10 and 05/20/10) An explosion April 20 at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig killed 11 workers and left an uncapped well spewing oil. About 19 percent of Gulf is now closed to fishing. Several methods to stem the flow have failed, with the exception of the insertion of a siphon pipe that's capturing a portion of the oil.