Oil Spill in the Gulf

The spill involves a deepwater drilling platform approximately 50 miles southeast of Venice, La. An explosion and subsequent fire damaged the rig, which capsized and sank on April 22, 2010, after burning for hours. It is unclear how much of the estimated 700,000 gallons (approximately 16,700 barrels) of #2 fuel onboard burned before it sank. The rig is owned by Transocean and is under contract to British Petroleum (BP).

• Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, portal website developed by the Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs. This site provides summaries and links to information provided by federal and state government agencies, industry and environmental organizations.

• State of Florida

  • Deepwater Horizon Response

  • State of Florida's Oil Spill Academic Task Force

  • Executive Order Task Force Oil Spill Economic Recovery: (PDF)

  • State of Florida Travel Advisory Page

• BP's Deepwater Horizon Response

• The Unified Command, PIER is the communication platform used by the Gulf spill response Joint Information Center.

• Trajectory Maps

  • Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Response Maps

  • Handcast and Forecast Surface Trajectories for Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

  • Interactive GIS mapping site with updated data for the Gulf oil spill

    • This is a powerful tool and fairly concise since it is community based. It is compiled of data from firsthand accounts, related content, and is uploaded by the public. Be patient it might take a minute to load and refresh the data

• Oil-Spill Research, Monitoring and Restoration Activities

  Scientists performing oil spill-related research and monitoring activities are encouraged to enter their information into the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Research and Monitoring Activities database (http://gulfseagrant.org/oilspill/database.htm).

   

  Researchers may enter their projects in less than 5 minutes per activity. People interested in viewing the information can perform queries or view all activities on the website.

   

  Numerous organizations have provided input and endorse this online clearinghouse, which contains brief descriptions of oil spill-related research, monitoring and restoration activities that are occurring at or funded by universities and state and federal agencies.

   

  In addition to coordinating existing research activities, a webpage has been developed to list opportunities for researchers and others to find oil-spill-related research, monitoring and restoration funding opportunities. That site is available at: http://gulfseagrant.org/oilspill/rfp.htm.

   

  Several groups identified the need for this database to improve coordination and identify research and monitoring gaps. The National Sea Grant Office and Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant programs initiated the effort. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC) built and designed the database to meet these goals. For more information about these activities, contact Steve Sempier (stephen.sempier@usm.edu).

   

• Want to help?

  • Gulf States Contact Information provided by the Gulf of Mexico
    Alliance Environmental Education Network

  • Volunteers, coordinated by Volunteer Florida, the Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Committee Service NOTE: According to the Coast Guard and state agencies monitoring the spill, there are currently limited volunteer opportunities for untrained, unaffiliated volunteers. Because oil is a hazardous material, spill cleanup volunteers must complete a four-hour safety training session. No training sessions are currently scheduled in southwest Florida but the CHNEP has submitted a request for this training. This site will be updated as training opportunities.

  • Response and Rescue Plans for Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles Impacted

  • The Wildlife Branch of the Unified Command has organized trained wildlife care providers and investigators to assist sea birds, marine mammals and sea turtles that will be impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. The marine mammal and sea turtle response teams include authorized personnel from the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program and the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network who respond to stranded marine animals in the upper Gulf of Mexico and consist of experts from federal and state agencies, academia, wildlife and veterinary professionals and zoo/aquaria facilities. The overall response will build upon the local stranding programs but will call upon the national network to assist as needed. This is an outstanding example of collaborative conservation efforts that are being brought together to assist marine animal wildlife in this oil spill event.

  • NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have identified primary responders and rehabilitation facilities in the local areas for live cetaceans, manatees and sea turtles.

  • Facilities have also been identified and are being readied for necropsies of dead marine mammals and sea turtles. Federal and state agencies are partnering with bird rehabilitation experts to provide facilities and care for sea birds.

  • Given the long time frame for this effort, experts from other areas of the country are also being identified and brought into the region. These are personnel who are highly trained in the special needs required for handling and treating marine mammal or sea turtles and will be used as the response progresses and as needed to assist the local rescue teams.

  • Additional rehabilitation and necropsy facilities outside of the upper Gulf region have already been identified and are on standby to assist or receive animals if circumstances demand.

  • NOAA Fisheries Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service UC Davis Oiled Wildlife Care Network

  • If you find an oiled, injured or dead marine mammal, sea turtle, or bird, please contact the Wildlife Hotline at 866-557-1401.

  • Please DO NOT touch or try to approach the animal. Handling oiled wildlife may pose a serious health and safety risk to both you and the animal you are trying to rescue. The chemicals in oil are toxic and only trained personnel with appropriate protective gear and equipment should handle and treat oiled animals.

  • The presence of humans can also be a source of great stress for wildlife, especially for animals that are sick, injured or compromised in other ways. To help reduce the stress, please keep dogs and people away from marine mammals, sea turtles, and birds.

  • If you find an oiled animal please call the Wildlife Hotline immediately. Helpful information you can provide type of animal (i.e., bird, mammal or turtle); location (be as specific as possible, e.g., beach name, where on beach in the specific state); time last seen; and your name and phone number in case we need to reach you. We will deploy trained wildlife rescue personnel to collect the animal.

  • Members of the public who wish to volunteer to assist with this effort should contact the Community Information Line at 866-448-5816.

  • Experienced marine mammal and sea turtle responders and veterinarians should contact their regional or state stranding coordinator to be placed on a standby response list.

  • For additional information:

    • Oiled Wildlife Care Network

    • Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

    • NOAA website on Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response

    • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website on Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

• Teacher and Student Opportunities to Study Oil Spills