An official website of the United States government. 
A common operational picture.
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ERMA (Environmental Response Management Application) becomes Common Operational Picture (COP) and is released to the public a week later.
Moratorium on Gulf drilling.
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A six-month moratorium is issued on all drilling at a water depth of more than 500 feet in the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean.
Top kill and junk shot.
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From May 26 to May 28, BP pumped thousands of barrels of mud into the well in an attempt to plug the leak, a procedure known in the industry as a “top kill.” The procedure was unsuccessful.
Image credit: BP.
National Commission announced.
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President Barack Obama announced the creation of the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling.
Oil siphoning.
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On May 15 and May 16, BP inserts pipe in riser to siphon off some of the spilling oil to be collected on a vessel on the surface.
Containment domes.
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From May 6 to May 8, three containment domes designed to collect most of the oil are deployed and then removed due to hydrate buildup making them ineffective.
Relief well.
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BP started drilling a relief well alongside the failed well. An additional 30 vessels and 1,000 responders were deployed to the Gulf Coast. A second relief well was started on May 16.
SCAT Program approved.
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Teams start systematic aerial and ground surveys of affected shorelines.
First fishery closures in state waters.
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NOAA initiated the first fisheries closures in federal waters four days later and by June 21 closures covered approximately 37% of the Gulf of Mexico.
First controlled burn of floating oil.
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In total, 411 controlled burns were initiated throughout the response. The last controlled burn was on Aug. 3, 2010.
Image credit: U.S. Coast Guard.
Aerial dispersant operations begin.
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Altogether, 1.84 million gallons of dispersants were used, including subsea dispersants. The last aerial dispersant was used on July 19.
Image credit: U.S. Coast Guard.
Drilling rig sinks.
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At approximately 10:30 a.m. (CT), the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico (~5,000 feet of water).
Preassessment begins.
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As soon as news of the spill was received, NOAA and other agencies began working to assess how the oil and other contaminants were impacting natural resources. OR&R staff began mobilizing and coordinating with co-trustees in the field on the preassessment that would later support the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process.
NOAA notified.
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At 2:24 a.m. (CT), the U.S. Coast Guard notifies NOAA of the spill. The first oil spill trajectory forecast is issued. Search and rescue efforts continue as the fire still rages.
Wellhead blowout.
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At 10 p.m. (CT) an explosion and fire occurred on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Eleven people were missing and presumed dead three days later when the search was suspended. A blowout preventer failed to activate.
Image credit: U.S. Coast Guard.
New Story Map Highlights How NOAA Scientists are Preparing to Assess Marine Mammals During Oil Spills
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Story Map: Oil Spill Assessment for Marine Mammals
Sea lions, seals, dolphins, and whales are some of the marine mammals at risk of oil spills and marine pollution. To prepare for future disasters, NOAA’s marine mammal and oil spill experts worked together to publish "Guidelines for Assessing Exposure and Impacts of Oil Spills on Marine Mammals."
The guidance document is available online for free. Viewers can also explore some of the new information and science from the document in our latest story map. We’re preparing for marine mammals today, so when oil spill disasters strike we will be even better prepared to respond on behalf of marine mammals.
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Map of the Month: Natural Resource Damage Assessment Settlements: 1990-2019
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Map of the Month: NRDA Settlements: 1990-2019
This map shows the locations of over 200 oil spill and hazardous waste sites where NOAA and partners from state, tribal, and federal agencies and industry have recovered over $10.4 billion to restore a wide variety of critical public habitats and resources nationwide.
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) is the process that NOAA and other trustees use to study the effects of these pollution incidents on fish, wildlife, surrounding habitats, and public use of those resources. Scientists work together to identify the extent of natural resource damage and specify the type and amount of restoration required.
Since 1990, NOAA’s Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP) has been integral to the NRDA process through its work assessing, restoring, and protecting polluted coastal environments.
Our restoration projects benefit coastal communities by enhancing fisheries and wildlife, restoring protected species (e.g., sea turtles, dolphins) and sensitive habitats (wetlands, corals). These projects also provide economic benefits from recreation (fishing, boating, swimming), tourism, green jobs, coastal resiliency, property values, and quality of life.
For more information about the NRDA process, visit the DARRP website. To access an interactive version of this map, click here and explore individual projects.
January’s Map of the Month comes from Tom Brosnan in Washington D.C. and Terrance Wang in Seattle.
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$25 Million Proposed to Restore Natural Resources in Kalamazoo River, Michigan
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$25M Proposed for Kalamazoo River, Michigan
DEC. 11, 2019 — Today a consent decree was announced that includes $25 million as a partial settlement to restore natural resources injured by releases of hazardous substances to the Kalamazoo River and Portage Creek in Michigan.
Under the proposed settlement, NOAA and co-trustees will use $25 million to plan and complete environmental restoration projects. These projects will both benefit injured natural resources, and compensate the public for lost recreational opportunities.
There will be a 30-day commenting period. The proposed consent decree will be available on the Department of Justice website.
Restoration projects will be selected with public input. The Trustees invite interested parties to suggest habitat and recreational restoration project ideas during the planning process. Project ideas can be submitted at the trustees online portal.
For more information about the Kalamazoo River site and the settlement, visit the Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program website.
Recreational kayakers on the Kalamazoo River. Image credit: NOAA.
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Map of the Month: Geographic Response Plan Information in the Pacific Northwest
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Map of the Month: Pacific Northwest Response
This month's map shows the Geographic Response Plans (GRPs) for Oregon and Washington. GRPs are guides for actions during an oil spill response. These plans help responders to deploy predefined strategies at previously identified areas of significant economic, cultural, and ecological value. They are designed to minimize the potential damage that an oil spill may have on these areas.
Working with both the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Emergency Response Program and the Washington Department of Ecology Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program, NOAA has integrated the GRP data from both states into ERMA for use by responders. The GRP data is regularly updated in ERMA as the states make updates to the plans, ensuring that the most up-to-date data is available.
Users in ERMA can click on the GRP data and obtain a variety of information regarding the response plan strategies, including access points, boom placement locations, equipment needs, as well as links to the full PDF documents.
Click here to view the map online.
December’s Map of the Month comes from OR&R Spatial Data Branch’s Nicolas Eckhardt.
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Upcoming Training for Responders
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Upcoming Training for Responders
Oil Spill Response Training
For those who respond to or plan for oil spills, we are offering our popular Science of Oil Spills (SOS) training on these dates and locations:
- Key West, Florida, the week of Feb. 10, 2020: Applications for this class will be accepted through Friday, Dec. 13.
- Mobile, Alabama, the week of March 23, 2020: Applications for this class will be accepted through Friday, Jan. 31.
- Seattle, Washington, the week of June 22, 2020: The application period for this class will open at a later date.
- Final class: Northeast region of the country; date to be determined.
Interested applicants should review details about this class on the SOS Classes page and use the SOS Application Form to apply.
Chemical Spill Response Training
In addition, for those who respond to chemical and hazardous materials spills, Science of Chemical Releases (SOCR) training will be offered in two locations this year. The application form for these classes will be opened closer to the trainings.
- Mobile, Alabama, the week of May 4, 2020
- Seattle, Washington, the week of August 17, 2020
More detail is provided on the SOCR Classes page. Use the SOCR Application Form when the trainings are opened for registration.
IOSC Short Courses
As in past years, OR&R specialists will be teaching full-day and half-day Short Courses at the International Oil Spill Conference (IOSC) in May 2020. The Short Courses will be on a broad range of response topics, such as boom techniques for fast and slow water, public health issues and spills, facility response plans, dispersants, shoreline cleanup assessment technique (SCAT), and Arctic and cold weather response techniques.
OR&R specialists will contribute to the following Short Courses:
- Environmental Unit Leader Training for Managers
- Basic Oil Forecasting and Modeling
- Aerial Observation and Surveillance of Oil
- Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Data Management
The Short Course schedule will be listed on the program page for IOSC 2020. We hope to see you there!
For more information, contact Kimberly.Albins@noaa.gov.
A Science of Oil Spills class takes a field trip to Dauphin Island during a week-long course in Mobile, Alabama.
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