MAY 22, 2015 -- On May 21, 2015 in Anchorage, Alaska, NOAA participated in a Worst Case Discharge oil spill drill with Shell.

The full-day functional exercise was designed to simulate the third day of response to an oil spill of an estimated 25,000 barrels/day of medium crude, resulting from a loss of well control while penetrating a target reservoir in the Chukchi Sea.

NOAA’s exercise objectives were to demonstrate the ability to successfully staff operations, provide logistical support, and acquire and track resources; effectively communicate with partner agencies and initiate stakeholder engagement; and develop a wildlife impact response and protection strategies for sensitive areas.

OR&R’s Emergency Response Division provided a Scientific Support Coordinator to the Command Staff to coordinate with the Environmental Unit, prioritize Resources at Risk, and prepare oil trajectory forecasts with Shell. OR&R’s Assessment and Restoration Division provided a Regional Resource Coordinator to coordinate with the Environmental and Wildlife Units, participate in data needs and sharing, and cooperative Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) discussions, and practice efficient sharing data between the Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA®) and Shell’s common operational picture.

The National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Weather Service also participated in the drill as Technical Specialists within the Environmental Unit.

For more information contact Catherine.Berg@noaa.gov.

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