Scoop Sea's Oil Spill Thread

[Good Times]

Sounds like Scoop Sea may be an EXCELLENT speaker to bring for an NFGFC meeting sometime in the future. I'm betting you'd pack em in and it would be a great for Q&A.

....and you could buy him a steak.

Just a thought.

[Scoop Sea]

"God Bless You Scoop", "I want to buy you a steak", thanks guys but you are killing me ......... Although, truly, I hope that God does bless me and all of us , I have said it before and I'll say it again, I am just doing my job....

I wouldn't mind making and even speaking at a NFGFC meeting, but I checked the schedule tonight and it looks like I will be back over here during the next meeting. I am transitioning into a 2 week on/2 week off rotation starting tomorrow. I was scheduled to make my first NFGFC meeting back in May, but this spill happened. That stunk. Either way, I'll make a meeting one day, might be the fall, but I'll make it.

Once again the weather worked hard on us today. The end result will be tar balls, etc. hitting the shores even further east, might even hit the PC area. It looks like the weather will be better tomorrow, so relief efforts should go better. We've seen some pretty big (relative term) mats/patties off shore. If the weather stops us from getting them, they will break up into tar balls and in turn, we will have more impact.

Hypothetically speaking, there were some hiccups with the containment device pulling the oil off over the last 24 hours. Like I have said before, this is a very tricky process, so hiccups should be expected. This may keep the total numbers recovered in the same general ball park (24 hour average) maybe a lil more, maybe a lil less. That being said, hypothetically, I expect good news within a week that will show more progress. However, remember we will have oil releasing from the well until the relief wells are completed (August timeframe). Is a 75% recovery rate possible, who knows, hypothetically speaking, barring no major problems, I think we could see that (and maybe a lil more)....

Now to the down side, the fishery closures look like they are here for a while and may be heading further east. This isn't my area, but that's the word on the street "possibly more closures". I know this doesn't bode well for the BBSC coming up Father's Day weekend. I am sure Chalk will let us know what the BBSC Board decides later this week. That being said, closures or not, I say the tourney should go forth. If it's an economic loss, make a claim against BP. I've fished it for 12 years straight, 5 of those have been with my daughter, who is only 10. I'd sure hate to see that chain broken, but just like the response for this spill, you've got to weigh risk vs. gain.

There's really nothing new to advise that wasn't discussed above. I'm headed back to Wakulla tomorrow but will still be in touch with the folks running the show. Hopefully I will be able to continue to provide some insightful input during my break (when I'm not out on the water ..........). If not, I'll get ya'll tuned back in the week after the BBSC.

Take Care.

[reelcatch]

SS you are the man!!!
Thanks for the first hand info. I also look here for my news of the cleanup and its progress.

I'll buy you a beer to go with the steak too!!!!

[Good Times]

Thanks Scoop Sea. I'm headed to Haiti for a week so I'll catch back up when I get back. In the meantime, thanks again for what you are doing.

[wevans]

Thanks for taking the time to educate those of us who know so little about these things Scoop Sea May you have the very best of luck in your fishin during this time off

[CrispyFishin]

Scoop, is the relief well a guaranteed solution? Could they punch down there and miss? It seems like everyone concerned has staked everything on the relief well as the final solution.

I will certainly offer up a toast when it is online and working as advertised.

[Reel Cowboy]

CF, I think that's why their sending 2 rigs.

[wjmax64]

Forgive me, I'm just thinking out loud here, if all off-shore drilling companies had been required to drill two wells to begin with we wouldn't be in the current mess. There would have been a relief well sitting there back in April. I realize it would double the cost but, BP only made $93 billion in PROFITS last year..........heck I don't even know how they can keep the lights on at the corporate offices with that pitiful profit margin. Maybe one day soon there will be some politicians to actually do the right thing for the nation instead of their personal benefit......I doubt it but it doesn't hurt to dream. We are all in this together though & I do prefer riding to work in my truck instead of having to saddle my horse every morning & afternoon......I guess I am part of the problem too.Sorry, I don't want to high jack the thread........again just thinking out loud

[Scoop Sea]

Scoop, is the relief well a guaranteed solution? Could they punch down there and miss? It seems like everyone concerned has staked everything on the relief well as the final solution.

I will certainly offer up a toast when it is online and working as advertised.

Hey CF: The relief well should be a guaranteed solution when it's set up. Could they punch and miss, yes they can. But they will just back out and try again, it will take some time to get it right, but it is the answer. They are running two drilling rigs so that if one has a problem they can turn to the other one. Their progress is on track and barring no major interruptions they should be in place in the August timeframe, until that time, we will continue to see oil come out of the top hat.

Well, I got back to C'ville this afternoon and the first thing I did was buy a Wakulla News. I was glad to see that it was not full of misinformation and negative press concerning the oil spill . There was an editorial by Jack Rudloe, the owner of Gulf Specimen Lab down in Panacea. Here is what he wrote in his closing paragraph: "Meanwhile, our beaches will turn black with tarballs, birds will die, fish will perish, politicians will dither, humans who depend on seafood and tourism will go broke, BP will continue to try and plug the well, oil will spew into the Gulf laced with toxic detergents, but in the end the shrimp will survive". Thanks Jack for that inspiring statement, Any wonder why "humans who depend on seafood and tourism will go broke".... Think it has anything to do with such statements? I also see that Jack was quoted in an article on TDO.com talking about how his Specimen Lab is in danger due to the oil spill and that he asked BP for nearly a half million dollars. WOW, we haven't even smelled the oil over here yet............ Maybe the Specimen Lab will open up a farmyard, it appears that somebody is looking to grab ahold of a perceived Cash Cow. We are in the planning/preparation stages in our coastal counties. Furthermore, I must ask this question to Jack and others: What have the water samples shown thus far, really, what have they shown? Normal, normal, normal, nothing really elevated. We did have some of the folks in one of our neighboring States go up in arms over some parts per billion ranges of "diesel/gas range organics" in some water samples collected the weekend before last. Here's what they failed to realize until it was explained to them: First, the levels present were several magnitudes less than what drinking water standards are (let's not forget we don't drink saltwater) and Secondly, nobody took in account the fact that the "spike" observed occurred during sampling taken during the Memorial Day weekend (when there were a lot more boats out on the water). When asked if there was any background data concerning these locations during such peak use times, the answer was no. Unfortunately, we are really quick to react due to our heightened sense of anxiety. That's why I am asking folks to really think things through when they hear or read something.

We owe it to ourselves and to the businesses that help make our community strong to focus on all the facts at a given moment. The fact of the matter as it stands now is the oil has not hit our area and we are in a planning/preparation mode. In the areas in which it has hit, we have not seen "toxic detergents and toxic oils" in the water columns, nor have we had clouds of toxic fumes filling the air. As it stands now, we are looking good in our area, we need to get that message out. Of concern to me is the possibility that they may close more of the Federal Waters. There is really nothing we can do about that given the guidelines they are using to determine the need for closure. Let's hope we start getting some more North winds..............

Here are three things I have heard since I got back this afternoon (I'm serious, two were while I was at the grocery store):

1. "I cancelled my reservation to Pensacola Beach over Memorial Day weekend because I was worried about having to deal with oil on the beach and smelling chemicals in the air". Man I wish I had a chance to talk to that person before they did that. I sure hope the ramping up of protective boom in our area won't lead to the same results.

2. "My step-daddy said Obama caused the oil spill to help make the case against off-shore drilling". I'm not even going there. O.K. I will: If the Republicans were in office folks would say that they were protecting "big oil" by having a slow federal response. Since the Democrats are in office, they are saying the federal government is not responding fast enough so the oil spill will get out of hand and hurt chances for off-shore drilling. So, I guess it's a no win situation for either party.

3. "They are going to put a million gallons of Dawn detergent in the Gulf". I guess it's time to buy stock in Dawn.... Dispersants, like Dawn, do break down oil into smaller forms which ends up in the water column. It's not Dawn that is being used.


In closing this evening I would like to remind ya'll of a few things:
1.We will have oil continue to leak into the Gulf until the relief wells are completed.
2.It will take a considerable amount of time after the oil stops flowing before we can determine the full extent of damage. 3.Although some folks may find my insights to be somewhat optimistic, I think you will find that I am just pointing out the facts, nothing more, nothing less. Also, please remember the area I am knowledgeable about does not include La. westward.
4. You should not be paying to be "trained" to work on this response, those being hired are being trained at the expense of BP.
5. Be weary of those asking for money in regards to the response. BP is on the hook to pay, plain and simple. If certain groups are asking that you provide them money so that they can respond, be cautious. Once again, BP is on the hook and they have been providing the funds necessary to ensure all facets of the operations move forward. Yes there have been some hiccups concerning payment to boat owners, etc., but I honestly believe those are growing pains. I know they have just brought in a slew of support to help with this issue.
6. Although this should be the #1 thing you should remember, All you really have to do is get to Heaven, really, it's that simple....................


Let's hope we can get ahead of the misinformation being floated out there, although I think that train has left the station....

[Scoop Sea]

Forgive me, I'm just thinking out loud here, if all off-shore drilling companies had been required to drill two wells to begin with we wouldn't be in the current mess. There would have been a relief well sitting there back in April. I realize it would double the cost but, BP only made $93 billion in PROFITS last year..........heck I don't even know how they can keep the lights on at the corporate offices with that pitiful profit margin. Maybe one day soon there will be some politicians to actually do the right thing for the nation instead of their personal benefit......I doubt it but it doesn't hurt to dream. We are all in this together though & I do prefer riding to work in my truck instead of having to saddle my horse every morning & afternoon......I guess I am part of the problem too.Sorry, I don't want to high jack the thread........again just thinking out loud

No hijacking brother, none at all. You are just pointing out a valid point: Why wasn't there a better way of ensuring this wouldn't have happened......... The Blow Out Preventer was supposed to be the answer, it failed, now we have a problem. Why it failed, that's up for debate, I am sure the truth will come out in the end. Personally, I am not sure about a relief well being drilled for a well each time. Wouldn't we then have to drill a relief well for that relief well and so on and so on (kind of like paying taxes on taxes, it would be never ending)? I am sure there will be new regulations and new requirements that will hopefully reduce the chances of this happening again.
From a regulatory standpoint, it seems as though some folks were a little to close (that is an independent view/statement) to the regulated community. DOI has already broken the MMS up and there has been fallout from this incident. With the commissions being formed I just imagine that we'll see changes in the near future. The one thing I hope doesn't happen is the dissolvement of the National Contingency Plan. That is a great plan and is backed up by law. Folks want to know why the Feds aren't "running" the show. Well sometimes it's just best to have industry do the leg work with the Feds providing the oversight. I think Admiral Allen is doing a good job and the Federal On-Scene Coordinators and their representatives are doing so as well. If we dissolve this law and rely strictly on the "Stafford Act" we all will be hosed, seriously..........

[big bend gyrene]

Know many others have already said it, Scoop Sea, but greatly appreciate the good "scoop"! Your posts have far and away been the most rational and informative I've found on numerous sites.

[Scoop Sea]

Thanks BBG for the kind words. I would feel remiss if I didn't tell it like I see it and try to provide an insightful perspective that will hopefully let folks know the sky isn't falling. Yes, we have some stormy weather we have to get through over the next few months, but we'll make it out the other side.

As long as folks remember I don't know every detail, especially for La. and westward operations and the fact that I call it like I see it for "that moment in time", there should be no problems. My point being, I foresee some challenges in the future with folks saying "well you said this", but they may fail to realize that I am not overly knowledgeable on La/westward operations and they confuse something for that area with something in the Al,Ms,Fl area. Or they mix up what I am saying at that particular moment of time vs. something I may have said weeks earlier when the facts were different. I hate this line, but "it is what it is". Circumstances will change, but facts will be facts for any given moment in time. We should stick to those facts, good, bad, and ugly......Take Care.

[Bud Man]

I was happily shocked to learn that BP is paying charter boat captains $1,800 a DAY! Plus $200 for a mate and obviously they provide gas (bad joke). A friend of mine in Pensacola has worked 17 days in a row at that rate. I'm glad to see they are compensating SOME of the fishermen with wages that will get them thru immediate crisis plus an emergency fund for the future (if they are wise).

I only wish they would hire more qualified people to help fight this oil offshore and keep fishermen afloat thru all this.

[Scoop Sea]

Hey Bud Man, BP incorporated the VOO (vessel of opportuntity) program immediately after the Unified Command was stood up. They have literally a few thousand boats on contract and over 1,000 of them are hired. There was a push to get a few thousand boats out working by the end of this week as needed. The skill level for these boat operators ranges from Shrimpers dragging boom, to smaller craft trolling the shorelines looking for oil to report back to the operations section. Obviously, the goal is to hire commercial vessels as those are the people that are being challenged with this oil spill. The top two response objectives set by the Unified Command on day one were as follows: 1. Ensure the safety of the responders and the community and 2. Reduce the environmental and economic impact of the oil spill. The UC has pushed hiring locals from day one and that has been fairly successful.
As for the qualified people to fight the oil offshore, every available asset is being used. This has become an international response as they have reached world wide to bring in people and assets to assist.

[Scoop Sea]

I suppose by now everyone has heard that nearly 15,000 barrels of oil are being contained daily with the top hat system. That's a good start on helping reduce the impact of this spill. However, it really makes me wonder how anyone (private, feds, scientists, etc.) could be so far off on the original "guesstimates". I know it's 5,000 feet below the surface, but it would seem like you could have figured out the amount by having institutional knowledge (i.e. the width of the pipe, pressure of oil/gas coming up before the explosion, etc.). Oh well, at least they are collecting over a half million gallons a day now. That gives me hope that the amount being discharged is being reduced enough to start making a difference.

I am also sure everyone has seen the reports about the "subsurface oil" being found by NOAA ships. I believe the University of South Florida reported that last week, but NOAA confirmed it today. The "upside" of the findings is that the oil was found in low ppm ranges. There is no indication that there is a "heavy plume" of oil out there, but rather oil constituents in the water column. My point being, the press has been indicating that there are several heavy oil plumes out there in the subsurface, to my knowledge, there is nothing to support that claim.

Please keep in mind that there are a lot of people out there conducting sampling/monitoring activities, from water samples, fish samples, air samples, shellfish samples, etc. etc. etc. to make sure that the public health and the environment are safe. A lot of this data is readily available on-line and folks should keep themselves informed when they hear reports that sound "scary".

I hope all is well with all of you. If everything goes as planned, I'll be conducting some fish sampling Thursday evening after a day of fishing on our local waters.