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Let's hope today is a success with static kill. As of 0700 local time, the crews were getting set up to do the injection testing. If that testing goes well, the static kill will start this afternoon. There was a little hiccup with a valve yesterday afternoon that put the project about 8+ hours behind. Since this is new territory, hiccups are expected.

Once static kill is deemed a success, the attention will turn to the bottom kill via the relief well.

Today could be a great day for this response if all goes well.

Still no recoverable oil on the water in our neck of the woods. Still getting tarballs, but that is to be expected.

Take Care

So far so good on the static kill procedure. Hopefully by the time we wake up tomorrow the static kill procedure will have been completed. At my evening brief we were advised it would take about 12 more hours to complete the static kill (barring any hiccups). That should put us somewhere around 0530 or so tomorrow morning. Let's hope tomorrow morning starts off great, with great news.....

Looks like good news so far!

http://www.localwireless.com/wap/news/t ... nal%20News

Dangit guys, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and this time it's not a train. Damn good news so far....... Now the decision will be to put cement on top or not. If the well continues to hold and there appears to be minimal risk, cement will go on top. If there is any inclination of a risk, it will be worth just waiting on the relief well. I feel fairly confident that cement will go on top. Since the bottom kill will still take a couple of weeks to complete, there is some time to consider the cement issue. Since the mud is holding, there is no rush, but personally I'd like to see cement put on top.

Alright, I'm off to a public flogging, there's nothing like being a gov employee at a public meeting. I guess I like the pain because I find myself doing this time and time again.......

After the flogging and some other loose ends that need tying up over here tomorrow, I will be making my way back towards the County. I can't wait. I filled my boat up, charged the batters, bought some new lures, etc the last time I was home, but I never got to use it, I can almost guarantee that won't happen again this time I am home. Is that BBQ, beer, and bait I smell? Two days until touchdown Houston.

Here's to hopping that ya catch fish till ya just can't hold the rod no longer

Thanks Wevans, I hope to light em up sometime in the near future. I'm glad to be back in the County and I am definitely relieved to see that the cement pumping went well today. Little by little this emergency is coming to an end. I've got a few weeks before I am scheduled back in Mobile, but I expect things will be a lot more mellow when I return. I told my fellow IC's that if they do their job while I am gone, I won't have to return ...........

Ironically, after finishing up some meetings yesterday and starting to head back this way, I got a call from one of our back-up regions asking if I would head up to Michigan to help them out with an oil spill they have going on (pipeline break, about a million gallons went out into a river). I pondered the request all the way up to actually doing my travel orders. However, in the end, my senses took over and I told them I need a little time away from er's to catch up with my family. I have already spent over 70 days working over there away from the family. We have dubbed this "The Lost Summer of 2010". I've only got this weekend before the kids go back to school next week, so I'm gonna hold tight and might reconsider the request later next week. BBQ/Beer at HammaKnockers Oasis tomorrow night, Back To School Community Service at the Church Saturday, then hopefully off to St. George Saturday late Saturday afternoon for a couple of days fishing. Dang it’s good to back over in our neck of the woods ……….

Welcome back to the "county" Scoop!

thanks for all that you and your boys have done in response to this emergency. If we ever meet, better believe I'll get your tab!

Great news for Mississippi today. Let's see if the National Media makes gives this the attention they gave when the waters were closed. Little by little, things are getting better.

August 6, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MDMR and MDEQ Reopen All Mississippi Territorial Waters
to Commercial and Recreational Finfish and Shrimp Fishing

BILOXI, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) and
the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), in coordination
with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have ordered the reopening of all
Mississippi territorial waters, including those south of the barrier
islands, to all commercial and recreational finfish and shrimp fishing
activities that were part of the precautionary oil spill closures. This
order takes effect at 5:00 p.m. today. All commercial and recreational crab
and oyster fishing will remain closed in the affected areas.

The reopening is being implemented after the completion of extensive
sampling and testing conducted by the MDMR, MDEQ, NOAA and the FDA. The FDA
has advised that, following extensive sensory testing and chemical
analysis, tissue samples tested indicate that seafood from these previously
closed areas north of the barrier islands remains safe for consumption.

Due to a more complex testing process for crab and oyster, these fisheries
will remain prohibited in the closed areas. Crab and oyster tissue samples
are currently being tested, and as soon as data indicates they are safe for
consumption, additional areas will be opened for these fisheries.

All waters north of the barrier islands that are normally open to shrimping
will be open. However, MDMR reminds shrimp fishermen who use skimmer trawls
that a 30-minute tow time is in effect, unless they have a properly
installed turtle excluder device.

All other regulations specific to each particular fishery will remain in
full force and effect. Anglers are asked to avoid disturbing boom and oil
spill-related activities.

More information and links about MDEQ’s and MDMR’s roles in oil spill
response are available at www.deq.state.ms.us/oilspill and
www.dmr.state.ms.us/DMR/oil-spill.htm . Water sampling information
available at: http://opcgis.deq.state.ms.us/oilspillmap and air monitoring
data at: http://gulfcoast.airnowtech.org

It's been a year since the DWH BP Oil Spill has occured, so I thought I would pop a quick line on this thread. In my opinion, things are a heckuva lot better than most folks anticipated this time last year. The loss of 11 lives is still a bitter stinger that will be with us forever. As for the state of the environment, things look pretty darn good (once again, this is my opinion). Folks can get back to fishing, the beaches are clean (yeah, lil tarballs are still washing ashore and we know that there are still some buried tarmats, but folks can frolic in the water and build sandcastles without getting all tarry) and it looks like tourists are starting to trickle back. It's hard to say what is worse for the tourist industry these days, the economy or the residual effects of the oil spill. It's my take that the economy is the major factor.

As posted previously, we will be dealing with the effects of this oil spill for years to come, but I dare say "things aint so bad"......

I still support drilling with proper regulations, checks/balances, etc. However, I am concerned about the off-shore, deepwater drilling that Cuba is lining up for later this year. Since we can't legally deal with Cuba directly, "i.e. work/partner with" Cuba, we can't help work with them on strategies, etc. to implement to try and avoid a similar situation as last year. Fortunately the drilling company lined up for their first deepwater well is open to listening to our suggestions, experiences, etc. so that is a positive note. The down side is this is just one driller, there will be several to follow and they all might not be so receptive. We'll just have to be prepared to respond accordingly.

Hope all is well with everyone and we all are breathing easier this year verses last year.

Take Care,