DATE: May 26, 2010 09:34:59 CST

The Department of Energy’s Scientific Response to the Oil Spill

Deep Water Horizon Incident Joint Information Center

Phone: (985) 902-5231 / 

(985) 902-5240

Key contact numbers Report oiled shoreline or request volunteer information:  (866) 448-5816 Submit alternative response technology, services or products:  (281) 366-5511  Submit your vessel for the Vessel of Opportunity Program:  (281) 366-5511 Submit a claim for damages:  (800) 440-0858 Report oiled wildlife:  (866) 557-1401 The Department of Energy’s Scientific Response to  the Oil  Spill

Secretary Chu and the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories are providing round-the-clock scientific support to help inform strategies to stop the BP oil spill.  Secretary Chu and his team of scientists are brainstorming ideas about the most effective scientific and engineering approaches to the problem, providing expert advice and technical support validation, testing assumptions and making engineering calculations to help BP think through their approach.  The Department of Energy is also offering its resources and technical assistance to the Flow Rate Technical Team led by MMS, NOAA and USCG.

• At the request of President Obama, Secretary Chu has assembled a team of scientific experts from inside and outside of government to work on the problem, and is engaging with these experts and BP officials on a daily basis.

• The Department’s laboratories are providing on-the-ground technical, engineering and scientific support at BP’s Houston Headquarters. At any given time, those labs have at least 6-8 experts on the ground supporting the response.  To date, more than 150 personnel from the National Laboratories have directly supported these response efforts. 

• Experts from the National Laboratories provided diagnostics of the damaged blowout prevention equipment on the ocean floor through radiography (analysis, design and fabrication efforts) and with innovative, nonintrusive approaches for measuring pressure at various points in the system.  The Department has provided BP with high-quality 2D radiography that BP personnel are saying breaks all records for deep water radiography--breaking the previous record by more than 4,000 feet.

• The Laboratories have also provided BP with structural analysis of the failed riser.  This allows various drill pipe, casing and riser scenarios to be evaluated. They also predicted the structural integrity of the riser kink under different flow scenarios and used sophisticated analysis of computer-estimated fluid flow inside the nonfunctioning apparatus.

• The Department of Energy is supporting the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC), which has been modeling the economic costs and societal impact of the oil spill on energy and other industries in the Gulf and along the coast to support the response efforts of the National Incident Commander and the Unified Area Command. NISAC is a modeling, simulation, and analysis center within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that leverages national expertise to address infrastructure protection.

• Using the Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center (IMAAC), the Department’s scientists provided smoke plume predictions for the original fire on the platform and surface-oil test burns. 

For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

Boycott BP "If you drive by a BP and you see people filling up...gently remind them, that when they buy from BP, they are supporting eco-terrorism..."

10 minutes ago · Comment · 

Sam Lovelace 

It's hard to understand how people don't just KNOW. And it's not just BP. we all need to come to terms with the fact that ALL dependency on this kind of energy has to stop sooner or later, and if it's not sooner, there won't be a chance for later.

Like everyone, I am waiting to hear official news about the capping attempt. Other than that, this is the biggest news so far today:

Head of Minerals Management Service fired, AP reports

By The Associated Press

May 27, 2010, 9:30AM

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / The Associated PressElizabeth Birnbaum, director of the Minerals Management Service is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 18, 2010. AP sources say Birnbaum has been fired.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- AP sources say that Elizabeth Birnbaum has been fired as director of the U.S. Minerals Management Service.

I can't find more than a few sentences anywhere on the web that explains why they fired her or who they intend to put into her job. If anyone has any clues, please let us know.

"Live feed to the ROV onsite, it appears that only mud is coming out now."

the most beautiful words*, from awesome anonymous person,
10:23 pm
"Sam, two of my brothers who were working to kill the well have sent word that the well has been killed."


Please, please, please let this be true.

Riki Ott PhD, Marine Toxicologist, Author and Exxon Valdez Oil Spill expert - "The oil industry's approach is to use oil based synthetic products to respond to oil spills. After use, this results in mountains of contaminated material that need to be landfilled or incinerated. This creates a secondary polution problem. At least with hair booms and hair mats, natural material is used that breaks down faster and releases less toxins when incinerated or landfilled. They even have a chance at being composted with bacteria. To suggest that any possible shedding of natural fibers into the gulf are a problem, pales in comparison to methods using hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic industrial solvents. The benefits of removing oil waste with natural fibers largely outweighs the minimal immediate risk to the environment. Also they reduce the secondary polution concerns that come with using oil based products, such as only synthetic boom and dispersants." www.Rikiott.com

To see demos of how fast the natural fibers work, we have provided  YouTubes and will be doing a comparison of synthetic boom next to hair boom. We will show how they both work, float, and what they are made of so that any questions on the necessity of using both products can be evaluated by the public. Matter of Trust is purchasing 2000 hair mats, made in China, by www.Ottimat.com

Richard Herbert has sent Matter of Trust his invention a hair boom floating cage. It can hold many hair booms aligned in rows. They can sit low and skim oil off the surface. Herbert's trap door invention for the containment boom prevents the oil from escaping and allows the hair boom to collect as much as possible. Fishermen in Louisiana are volunteering with Matter of Trust to make these this week. We will provide a press release with more information and a press conference on Wednesday or Thursday.

"Fishermen in Louisiana are volunteering with Matter of Trust to make these this week. We will provide a press release with more information and a press conference on Wednesday or Thursday." - http://www.matteroftrust.org/

You can watch a video link to a news story about these in action here.

"Attention BP - If any BP management person is reading this, please contact us. We're eager to help you but we're unable to get through to the right people via the toll-free numbers. The automated response I received from your Horizon Call Center indicates that you have "hundreds of people willing to volunteer." We have thousands. Your local community outreach people are good folks who are working hard but they don't have the right information and resources. BP management needs to help us and them.
OSHA, BP, Transocean, Homeland Security, USCG, NOAA, EPA, Department of the Interior - We need to hear from you. We have 7000+ people eager to be trained and eager to jump into action when the oil comes ashore. How do they get training? What can they do to help with the cleanup? We have volunteers with prior oil spill cleanup experience, certifications, and commercial boats who are eager to go to work. How can we communicate with the right people to put them to work? The public toll-free numbers aren't working for such things.
Volunteers - Please register using this form. (CLOSED) Provide complete as much of the form as possible and indicate whether your contact information can be shared directly with cleanup organizations. Please do not use emailto provide your volunteer information. Note that OSHA regs require special training for anyone involved in oil cleanup or oiled-wildlife rehab. BP has contracted with Tri-State to do the cleanup and wildlife rehab. BP will not train volunteers. We are still trying to determine what other work can be done by volunteers.


Caution: Do not attempt oil cleanup work without training and the required safety equipment. The oil waste is a toxic material and can pose a threat. This OSHA handbook for oil spill cleanup will explain. OSHA regulations require that oil spill cleanup personnel have HAZWOPER (Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response) certification. Read about the issue of training and oil cleanup here.
Cleanup Organizations Needing Volunteers - Please send email todon@OilSpillVolunteers.com describing your needs and activities. (Please route all individual volunteer offers to the registration form here on the web. We are receiving a large number of emails and calls and it's much simpler and more reliable to keep track of volunteers in the database linked to the form. We'd hate to misplace an email and lose contact with you.)
Boat owners - If your boat is capable of handling booms and other spill management and cleanup equipment, you may contact BP's Vessels of Opportunity program at 281.366.5511. Participation under this program would be compensated by BP. (Commercial fishing boats and similar craft, not appropriate for small recreational boats.)
If you have HAZWOPER certifications or wildlife rehabilitiation certification, you may be eligible to work in a paid capacity with BP's contractor Tri-State. If you cannot reach someone at BP or Tri-State, you may send an email to certified@oilspillvolunteers.com with your contact information and certification details. We'll do our best to see that it gets to the right place. (HAZWOPER - Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response)

Spill Forecast
See http://deepwaterhorizon.noaa.gov/#downloads for the latest 24-hr, 48-hr, and 72-hr spill trajectory:

Current Trajectory Maps •  24, 48 and 72 hour trajectory forecast maps and offshore surface oil forecasts are produced once daily.

Deepwater Horizon 24Hr Offshore Trajectory Map 2010-05-25-1600  (Document format: PDF, size: 1.3 M)

Deepwater Horizon 24Hr Trajectory Map 2010-05-25-2100  (Document format: PDF, size: 2.3 M)

Deepwater Horizon 48Hr Offshore Trajectory Map 2010-05-25-1600  (Document format: PDF, size: 2.5 M)

Deepwater Horizon 48Hr Trajectory Map 2010-05-25-2100  (Document format: PDF, size: 2.3 M)

Deepwater Horizon 72Hr Offshore Trajectory Map 2010-05-25-1600  (Document format: PDF, size: 4.2 M)

Deepwater Horizon 72Hr Trajectory Map 2010-05-25-2100  (Document format: PDF, size: 2.3 M)

Field Guide to NOAA’s Oil Trajectory Maps A guide to understanding the oil trajectory maps produced during an incident. (Document format: PDF, size: 218.5 K)

NOAA Trajectory Maps Presentation A presentation about interpreting NOAA's trajectory maps. (Document format: PDF, size: 1.3 M) - From an NOAA National Ocean Services Office of Response and Restoration, Emergency Response Services post.

As southeast Louisiana’s fishing communities watch the ongoing oil disaster threaten their economy and way of life, the Greater New Orleans Foundation is using a grant from its Gulf Oil Spill Fund to help support critical services to fishermen—such as the Seedco Financial’s Southeast Fisheries Assistance Center.

First Grant from Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund Benefits Fishermen and their Families:

“During these uncertain times, our commercial fishermen need a place to turn to get real-time information,” said Seedco Financial Senior Vice President Robin Barnes. “Along with Small Business Administration counselors, fluent in Vietnamese and Spanish, fishermen receive advice about claims, job opportunities, disaster loans, and business assistance.”

Seedco Financial, with help from the Greater New Orleans Foundation and other funding partners, launched the opening of the center after the hurricanes to provide commercial fishermen with business and financial assistance. Since it opened its doors in 2008, the Fisheries Assistance Center has provided grants and loans totaling $15 million to 545 fisheries businesses and direct technical assistance to another 150 individuals in Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes.

“This grant is for short-term relief to help an organization that is providing critical support to fishermen and their families,” said Greater New Orleans Foundation Director of Regional Initiatives Marco Cocito-Monoc. “Just as important is addressing the long-term effects of this second disaster facing the people  who rely on the Gulf for their livelihoods. We are developing this second level of intervention and will implement it in the weeks and months ahead.”

It is estimated that there are 6,400 licensed commercial fishers in the impacted parishes.

Donations to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund can be made online at www.gnof.org.

The Greater New Orleans Foundation is the community foundation serving the 13-parish Greater New Orleans metropolitan area. We design and lead initiatives that improve the region, connect donors to community needs, identify and support great nonprofits, and strengthen civil society.

www.oilspill.labucketbrigade.org 

CITIZEN JOURNALISTS NEEDED FOR OIL SPILL CRISIS MAP
Tool Will Show Government, Responders Where Help is Needed Most

Contact:  

Anne Rolfes, Founding Director, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, (504) 452 – 4909
Mariko Toyoji, Research Associate, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, (425) 677-4560   


(New Orleans) As the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster drifts toward land, residents of the Gulf Coast  can report sightings of fishermen out or work, endangered wildlife, oil on shore, oil sheens, health impacts and other problems using a new tool known as the Oil Spill Crisis Map. The reports, submitted via text message, the web or e-mail will appear on a web based map of the Gulf Coast, alerting officials and the public alike of the extent of the damage. “The Oil Spill Crisis Map compiles and maps eyewitness accounts of the oil's effects in real time,” said Anne Rolfes of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade. “This is a tool for all of us to understand the extent of the damage.” 


Reports can be made and viewed at http://oilspill.labucketbrigade.org.  Mobile phone users can text or call in reports to  (504) 27 27 OIL.  Reports can also be sent to bpspillmap@gmail.com and through Twitter with the hashtag #BPspillmap. Eyewitness reports for the map require a description, and location information such as address, city and state, zip-code or coordinates. Citizen reporters can remain anonymous or disclose their contact information. Photos and video can be uploaded via the web.


Tufts University teamed with Haiti residents after the earthquake to use the map to direct disaster relief. The Oil Spill Crisis Map implements technology called "Ushahidi," first used by bloggers in Kenya to display eyewitness reports of that country's post-election violence in that 2008. Meaning “testimony” in Swahili, Ushahidi provides a clear and simple graphical depiction of large events over both time and geography. Reports are sent in by ordinary citizens, verified and then visualized on a web based map.


Recognizing the power of this technology, Tulane University graduate students, Louisiana Bucket Brigade staff and California based Radical Designs have partnered to create the Oil Spill Crisis Map. “This application is the first time that Crisis Mapping is used in the U.S. for a disaster,” continued Ms. Rolfes. “We are proud of this work and grateful to Dr. Nathan Morrow and the Tulane students who made it possible.”


This use of public testimony is changing the field of disaster management by utilizing reports from local sources. Crisis Mapping thus far has two uses. The first is for emergency response in times of a disaster, the second is to facilitate information sharing, transparency and accountability. Those involved with the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Crisis Map anticipate that the responders to this disaster will use this tool to inform their work.


The Louisiana Bucket Brigade and partners are calling upon residents of the Gulf Coast to submit their reports of the effects of the oil spill. “By mobilizing information from affected communities the immediate purpose is to contribute useful data. As time goes on, these reports will serve as a record of this tragedy, so that others may never have to bear witness again,” said Mariko Toyoji of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade.


If you are in danger or witness an emergency, please contact your local emergency response agency immediately. The Oil Spill Crisis Map is not an emergency response service. 


For more information on Crisis Mapping, go to http://www.ushahidi.com.


###
The Louisiana Bucket Brigade is a 501(c)(3) environmental health and justice organization working supporting communities' use of grassroots action efforts to become informed, sustainable neighborhoods free from industrial pollution.

Well, finally this blog can be good for something other than helping me (and if I'm lucky, a few others) cope. I hope to use this as a practical volunteer link hub, to help organisations find volunteers and vice versa. I will try to collect as much useful info here as possible, and if you have any questions, please email me at s.l.lovelace@gmail.com and I will see if I can help you find your answer.


Here's a link to the Deepwater Horizon pdf. form if you have ANY ideas on how they can stop the leak, clean up the spill more efficiently, or any ideas that might help the situation at all. Good luck! 
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/clients/2931/319487.pdf


Also, this VERY important note for locals in the Gulf Coast area:
The Louisiana Bucket Brigade, students at Tulane University and site host Radical Designs created this Oil Spill Crisis Map and Incident Report Center so that you, the citizens of the Gulf Coast have a voice to speak out in testimony of the how the Gulf oil spill is threatening your livelihoods and the ecosystems that you love and rely on.

What is the Oil Spill Crisis Map?

This map visualizes reports of the effects of the BP oil spill submitted via text message, email, twitter and the web. Reports of oil sightings, affected animals, odors, health effects and human factor impacts made by the eyewitnesses and the media populate points on a this public, interactive, web based map. The information will be used to provide data about the impacts of the spill in real time as well as document the story of those that witness it.

Who can use it?
Anyone that sees, smells or feels the impacts of the BP oil spill and has access to a cell phone or computer can make a report. We are asking residents, fishermen, volunteers and any one else in impacted areas to assist us in getting people to make reports of what they are experiencing. The more reports that get submitted the more powerful each individual report becomes.

How can I make a report?
Reports can be made in four ways:
1. Send a text message or call (504) 27 27 OIL (7645),
2. Send an email to bpoilspill@gmail.com
3. Via Twitter with the hashtag #BPspillmap
4. Filling out this form (http://oilspill.labucketbrigade.org/reports/submit/)

What happens to the information I report?
All reports are made public and available on the Oil Spill Crisis Map website. Reports will appear on the Oil Spill Crisis Map after they have been approved. Reporters can choose to remain anonymous or choose to share their contact information. Contact information from reports will not be made public or shared without consent.

How can I help?
Make a report! The more reports that are made the more useful the information on the map becomes. This system depends on participation from those that are directly impacted by the oil spill. With enough of these eyewitness accounts we will be able to provide immediate data on the impact of the spill, to facilitate transparency and accountability and to document this disaster from the eyes of those that witnessed it first hand.

Donate to the Louisiana Bucket Brigade so that we can continue to track eyewitness accounts of the spill!

Get the word out! Tell your friends, family members, neighbors and social networks about the Oil Spill Crisis Map. The more people that know about this tool the better!

If you would like to volunteer to assist in this project, please contact clayton@labucketbrigade.org.

Why does this map matter?

This map utilizes public testimony to visualize the impact of the BP oil spill over time and geography. By using information that comes from participants we will be able to track, document and make public the effects of the BP oil spill. By making all information public we will facilitate transparency, accountability and effectiveness in the oil spill response and clean up.

http://oilspill.labucketbrigade.org/

“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.”   - Thomas Szasz

 

It occurs to me that the problem is mine. Is me. It is that I can't get along. What is wrong with me that I can't tolerate the acceptance of hypocrisy and abuse? All signs point to the fact that this is what society in general expects of me, what most people seem to manage every day, and yet I just can't. It would be easy to say "No, you just won't.", but only if you don't know me, or know anyone like me. I'm almost certain that it is directly related to the environment and situations in which I was raised. While other children were learning to turn the other cheek, I was learning that if you do that, you are going to get hit on the other cheek, and then the person who hit you and everyone who saw it will know that you're a chump, there for the hitting. I - and every single cell in my body - says !@#$ THAT.

As much as I would like to be peaceful and good, as much as I admire people who are, I also know that the world needs people like me who will not accept the status quo, who would rather be alone than tolerate the ridiculous, shifty bull$#*! that often passes for "civilized behavior".

 

  "The berserker's place in society was limited by the terror and violence that was associated with berserkergang. As superb warriors, they were due admiration. However... the berserk skirted the classification of niðingr, one who was the lowest of men and the object of hate and scorn." -VAL

 

What I can do about this is soul-search, think and learn. I can try to find a moral balance, a sense of responsibility to my fellow citizens and my own place in this world (which, whether i like it or not, for the time being, is what it is) and do my best to be true to what I believe, based on that. 

For whatever reasons* when I was shaping my personality, I chose the path of the Hero. Honor, dignity, honesty, standing up for the vulnerable and weak, fighting against injustice and any other dragon that crossed my path. If I ever had a choice to be another way, I don't remember it. I'm not a good hero, which is why I have a picture of Marv and not Superman. I fail. I am blind. I am judgmental and harsh. I am short-tempered and prone to violence. I have to struggle every day to try to be productive and fit in, or hide and be myself. But I understand that this ain't cool, and that I have to try to be a productive part of society. Forgiveness is important to give to others, but in my opinion, forgiving another is also something you do for yourself. It hurts to hold on to anger and resentment. It diminishes your own life. I feel that often, the people who hurt or wronged you don't really care if you forgive them or not. If you hold on to whatever they did to you and let it steep, and eat at you and worry you, then you are just continuing their dirty work. Again, every single cell in my body - says !@#$ THAT.

I cannot forget. My problem is that forgiving and forgetting often seem the same. I find that this is often how the wrong-doer sees it. I feel that if you really remember, then it is difficult to truly forgive. The wrong-doer often seems to feel that if you forgive them, then you have forgotten their wrongs. Maybe this is why the only thing that has ever seemed to really work for me is to remove myself completely from the life of the person who has done me wrong. It solves a lot of problems, and is not an unkind solution. I am then able to let go of my fear of being hurt or wronged again, they no longer have to deal with my extreme inability to accept/forgive/forget, and with the exception of "Where is Sam" (which in the case of a former friend, can be only slightly noticeable, but in the case of a mother/daughter is a huge flashing red warning sign - I hope.) the wrong-doer can go about their daily lives with no interference or protest from me. I can then move on, hopefully wiser, and use my instinct, intellect and powers of observation to not associate with like-minded people in the future. I don't let it ruin my life. The past, the present - they are what they are. Sometimes they hurt, sometimes I struggle, but I refuse to use it as an excuse, and I refuse to let it ruin the joyful, full, exciting, adventurous life I have now. 

But I know things would be different if I were still involved in the lives of the people with whom I am poisoned. And that's the real point of this post.

Despite my best intentions to make good choices and not invite harmful idiots and abusers into my life, I am not perfect, and I have met a few. Some of them have come by association with good people - and that poses a whole OTHER problem. Even when I have finally come to my senses and removed my self (as calmly and peaceably as possible) from an association with those harmful people, I may have friends and loved ones (my partner) who still choose to continue their association with them, and that's where things get REALLY tricky. My intensely judgmental nature causes me to immediately think "Well, if these guys continue to hang out with and support these idiots, they must be idiots too. They must WANT the abuse..." but logic and calm reasoning also permits me to see that everything just isn't so black and white. Perhaps my friends and loved ones have a different kind of relationship with the idiot/abuser in question. Perhaps they have their own demons to wrestle. Perhaps they just aren't like me, and don't LOVE to burn bridges. I say, if the bridge is dangerous, burn it. Don't shore it up. Don't wast time rebuilding and reinforcing. BURN THAT !@#$ER! yay, fire! And one less way for the enemy to cross the river. I'm a GOOD swimmer. 

Either way, it causes me to question some of my close relationships, which doesn't always have to be a bad thing, and sometimes doubt my closest friends, which almost always is a bad thing. It also causes me to occasionally have to put up with the idiots that I chose to walk away from (sometimes in defense of the same people who continue to associate with them!!!) in social situations, which almost always SUCKS. The worst part though is doubting my friends and their motives and self-confidence, as well as their trust in me, my trust in them, and their concern for my feelings and opinions. I just have to keep working on that. (No shortage of soul-searching in this life.) And I can usually talk to them about it. That helps.

 

Luckily, I put off enough vibe that, even when I do encounter these people (the idiots), they avoid me like the plague. Even if I am standing right next to a friend that they are still friendly with, they will avoid even eye contact with me, and that's just fine with me. It's especially amusing when I have not threatened the IiQ (Idiot in Question), had any kind of harsh words with them, or made any other aggressive moves or statements toward them, etc. (and I prefer not to, I just stop having anything to do with them) and they still do this. It lets me know that they can't face me - for whatever reason - and that justifies my decision in the first place. Why can't they look at me or talk to me, if I've said nothing or done nothing wrong to them? I think the answer is pretty clear: they know how I feel and they know I feel that way for a good reason and they don't want to face that reality. And I don't blame them. But the fact that my other friends still 'play friendly' with them (even though 100% of the time they have ultimately confessed that they feel the same way I do, if not worse, because they were the ones who were originally wronged) allows these IiQ to pretend and convince themselves that all is well, all is forgiven, it was just a little glitch, whatever, and then they go on being the exact same asshole as before. Maybe worse, because they got no punishment from whomever they wronged. BAD DOG!!! NO COOKIE!!!

I'm writing this for strangers who have this same problem. I'm writing this to get it off my chest. I'm writing this as a way to clearly communicate my feelings and problems with this to the people I love and DON'T want to lose. Some bridges ARE worth repairing. But how do you tell someone you love "This bridge is worth saving, but if you keep letting the !@#$% idiots and assholes use YOUR bridge to get to MY side of the river, well... !@#$ THAT. I have matches, and no time for idiots and assholes. Sorry."

I guess just like that.

Please stop giving cookies to bad dogs. They WILL bite you, and you WILL come and ask me to clean your wound, and I'll do it. And then I'll start thinking of you as one of the bad dogs. And then the next time, you'll have to ask someone else for help, and I don't want that. I want to be one of the GOOD dogs, who is always there for you.

*woof*

-s

* I basically blame wrestling, The Lord of the Rings and the fact that most people around me were NOT heroes.

**my brother assures me that they are safe and under the watchful eye of the DSS due to their own shitty parents, and i just have to hope that this is true.