Contract: Northrop, $175.5M

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a not-to-exceed $175,497,896 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the procurement of long-lead time material, and planning and advance engineering services in support of one landing helicopter assault replacement Flight 0 amphibious assault ship. Twenty-three percent of the work will be done in Pascagoula, and 24 percent in Brunswick, Ga., and 24 percent in locations not yet determined. Other work locations are Los Angeles, Calif., York, Pa., and Brampton, Canada. Work is expected to be completed by March 2014. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/30/10)

Destroyer returns from sea trial

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The Aegis guided missile destroyer Gravely successfully completed its sea trial last week in the Gulf of Mexico. The DDG 107's successful sea trial paved the way for delivery from the Pascagoula yard to the Navy later this summer, the company said. Gravely is the 27th destroyer to be built at Northrop Grumman's Pascagoula yard. (Source: Mississippi Press, 06/30/10)

Relief well nearing target

BP says the rig drilling the relief well to stop the Gulf oil spill has made it within about 20 feet horizontally of the well. The rig is going to drill an additional 900 feet before crews cut in sideways and start pumping in heavy mud to try to stop the flow from the damaged well. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/28/10) BP’s mounting costs for capping and cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico spill have reached $2.65 billion. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/28/10)

System a game-changer in mine warfare

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. – The commanding officer of the mine warfare center called the system a game-changer that affirms Naval Oceanography’s mine warfare role. The new mine detection method is more selective and does the work in less time than in the past. The concept of centralized data fusion was proven during a mine warfare exercise earlier this month in Norfolk, Va. Data fusion takes information from multiple sources and "fuses" them into a stream more useful for analysis. Experts from Stennis Space Center's Naval Oceanography Mine Warfare Center and the Naval Oceanographic Office processed a majority of the data, fused and conducted analysis on all of the mine-like contacts, then advised which required diver identification. It reduced by 57 percent the number of mine-like objects that had to be checked. In the past analysis took four times as long as data collection - this time it was 0.7 as long. The data fusion and analysis used upgraded software developed by the Naval Research Laboratory at Stennis. "We've never operated at this level before,” said Lt. Cmdr. Scott Parker, whose squad operated 14 unmanned underwater vehicles from multiple organizations collecting data. "It was a game-changer for mine warfare, and Naval Oceanography's role in it," said Cmdr. Matthew Borbash, NOMWC commanding officer. (Source: NNS, 06/28/10)

Skimmers to be built

Mississippi will have as many as 23 new belt skimmers operating in state waters by Aug. 1, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said Saturday. The skimmers will be built by Overing Yachts in Ocean Springs, Miss., and Trinity Yachts in Gulfport, Miss. Gov. Haley Barbour directed the construction of the vessels and for the costs to be paid by BP. (Source: FOX10-TV, Sun Herald, 06/26/10)

Concerns raised over grants

The $500 million BP has committed over 10 years for academic research into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has pleased a lot of researchers who have in the past found research funding hard to get. But there's some concern about the White House ordering BP to consult with Gulf Coast governors before awarding grants. And some are also concerned that the research may leave out the expertise from key institutions outside the Gulf of Mexico region. (Source: Los Angeles Times, 06/26/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas has gushed into the Gulf of Mexico since then with no end expected until August, when relief wells are in place.

NSF grant studies beached oil

Researchers who studied a stretch of coastline from Alabama's Dauphin Island to the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island in Florida found cleanup efforts still leave behind numerous small tar balls that wind up buried in the sand. It will take longer for these decay. The study by University of South Florida geologists was funded by the National Science Foundation's Rapid Response grant. (Source: NSF, 06/25/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas have spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since then, despite attempts to mitigate the flow. Oil in various forms has washed into marshes and beaches from Louisiana to Florida, and a slick remains in the Gulf of Mexico.

Team focuses on oil plume

Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA, embarked on June 17 for a 12-day research effort in the Gulf of Mexico to characterize subsurface oil plumes. They are aboard the research vessel Endeavor conducting projects funded through the National Science Foundation rapid response program. The research should help answer questions about the extent, chemical composition and biological impact of subsea plumes. The research pulls together some of the most advanced technology for underwater chemical sampling and underwater autonomous vehicles. The team has studied archived oil spill reports stretching back 40 years and has received data and advice from colleagues at other institutions who recently surveyed the site. (Source: NSF, 06/22/10)

Navy to christen Lorenzen

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The Navy will christen the missile range instrumentation ship USNS Howard O. Lorenzen on Saturday at a 1 p.m. ceremony at VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula. The ship is named in honor of the Naval Research Laboratory electrical engineer who was instrumental in the creation of the nation's electronic intelligence capabilities. Designated T-AGM 25, the ship will provide a platform for monitoring missile launches and collecting data that can be used to improve missile efficiency and accuracy. It will be operated by the Military Sealift Command and conduct missions sponsored by the Air Force. The 12,575-ton ship is 534 feet long and will have a combined crew of civilians who will operate and navigate the ship and military and civilian technicians from other government agencies who will operate monitoring equipment. (Source: DoD, 06/24/10)

Cap reattached; Dudley now in charge

BP had to remove a cap that was containing some of the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico after an underwater robot bumped the venting system. It was reattached late Wednesday, but not before spewing additional oil and gas into the water. (Source: Washington Post, 06/23/10) In another spill matter, BP put Mississippi native Bob Dudley in charge of handling the Gulf of Mexico oil spill Wednesday. Dudley, who grew up in Hattiesburg, Miss., is now the point man in the mission to stop the oil gusher and deal with the economic damage it has caused. (Source: AP via New Orleans Times-Picayune, 06/23/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas have spewed into the Gulf of Mexico ever since.

Cochran honored by shipbuilders

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi is being honored with the American Shipbuilding Association's 2010 Herbert H. Bateman award, which will be presented Wednesday night during the ASA's Salute to the 111th Congress reception in Washington, D.C. The award was established by the ASA in 2000 to recognize an individual in government or industry who has demonstrated years of leadership in working for a stronger shipbuilding industry. (Source: Mississippi Press, 06/23/10)

Some Omega Protein boats return

MOSS POINT, Miss. - Four of the nine boats that left the Omega Protein facility in Moss Point in April have returned and prospects are looking good that the others will also be back, company officials said. Omega Protein's fleet stationed in Moss Point was moved to Louisiana on April 30 as areas of the Gulf of Mexico were closed to fishing due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The vessels worked out of the company's facilities at Abbeville, La., and Cameron, La. Omega Protein produces Omega-3 fish oil and specialty fish meal products. (Source: Mississippi Press, 06/22/10) Previous story

Judge blocks moratorium

NEW ORLEANS, La. - A federal judge blocked the administration's six-month ban on new deepwater drilling that was imposed in the wake of an ongoing oil spill. The judge said the Interior Department failed to provide adequate reasoning. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar later said he'll issue a new moratorium in coming days with the reason it's needed. The request to overturn the moratorium came from several companies that provide services to offshore drilling rigs. (Source: Washington Post, 06/22/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since. Efforts to capture oil from the well have improved incrementally. An oil slick remains in the Gulf of Mexico, generally moving eastward. Coastlines in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have been soiled, and cleanup efforts are ongoing.

Summit on spill scheduled

LONG BEACH, Miss. – A summit is scheduled for June 30 at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, Miss. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Oil Spill Disaster Recovery Summit is from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Fleming Education Center auditorium. It will focus on the potential long-term impacts on the environment, the economy and the well-being of Mississippi Gulf Coast citizens. The idea is to begin development of community-wide strategies to respond and recover. The free summit, open to the public, is hosted by the Center for Policy and Resilience at USM Gulf Coast in collaboration with the South Mississippi Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters. Registration is required by Monday, June 28. The registration form and additional information can be found at the summit Web site. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 06/22/10)

Hayward hands over spill chores

BP chief executive Tony Hayward is handing over day-to-day responsibility for managing the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to the company's American managing director, Robert Dudley. Word came from BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg in an interview on Britain's Sky News network. Dudley became a BP managing director a year ago with oversight responsibility for the company's activities in the Americas and Asia. BP officials later clarified that the process of the turnover has just begun, and Hayward will remain in charge until the leak is stopped. (Source: Washington Post, 06/18/10) Meanwhile, environmental scientists are looking at the Mississippi River as a potential ally in the battle to minimize damage to beaches and coastal wetlands. (Source: NSF, 06/18/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil, many times more than spilled in the Exxon Valdez, has spewed into the Gulf of Mexico since.

Threat: More dead zones?

The oil gushing from the busted well in the Gulf of Mexico contains about 40 percent methane and could suffocate marine life and create "dead zones." That's according to John Kessler, a Texas A&M University oceanographer who's studying the impact of methane from the spill. Dead zones are areas where oxygen is so depleted nothing lives. "This is the most vigorous methane eruption in modern human history," Kessler said. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/18/10) Efforts to recover the oil took a step forward with 25,000 barrels captured Thursday by two different surface vessels, according to Coast Guard Adm. Thad W. Allen. But there's still oil and gas surging from around a containment cap on the damaged BP wellhead, Allen said. (Source: Washington Post, 06/18/10)

BP agrees to escrow account

BP and the administration reached an agreement where the oil company will place $20 billion in an escrow account to pay claims resulting from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (Source: Washington Post, 06/16/10) BP has started burning oil siphoned from the ruptured well as part of its plans to more than triple the amount of crude it's capturing. The burner could incinerate up to 420,000 gallons of oil daily once it's fully operational. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/16/10) The rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. The well has spewed oil into the Gulf of Mexico since, soiling coastlines, killing wildlife and impacting businesses in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

BP announces first $25M for research

The Northern Gulf Institute at Stennis Space Center, Miss., will receive $10 million to study the impact of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. NGI is one of three groups getting a total of $25 million in initial funding from BP. The company three weeks ago pledged $500 million for a 10-year program of research, the Gulf Coast Research Initiative, in the wake of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon and subsequent massive oil spill. On Tuesday it announced the first installment. NGI is a consortium led by Mississippi State University. Other members are the University of Southern Mississippi, Louisiana State University, Florida State University and Dauphin Island Sea Lab in Mobile, Ala. Another $10 million is going to the Florida Institute of Oceanography, a consortium of 20 institutions with marine science interests, including 11 state universities. It’s led by the University of South Florida. The remaining $5 million is going to Louisiana State University, which has been promised $10 million over 10 years. In a related matter, the director of the National Institutes of Health told a House committee Tuesday that the institutes will spend $10 million on research on the potential health impacts of the spill. (Source: Multiple, including New York Times, OilVoice, ENewsParkForest, 06/15/10)

Mabus to head Gulf restoration plan

President Barack Obama told the nation that in the coming days and weeks, new efforts to stem the flow of crude into the Gulf of Mexico "should capture up to 90 percent of the oil." Obama in his Tuesday night speech from the Oval Office also named Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, former governor of Mississippi, to develop a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan that will be designed by states, local communities and other stakeholders from the Gulf Coast. The president called the leak an epidemic that will be fought "for months and even years." Obama, who spent the last two days on the Gulf Coast, said he'll meet with the chairman of BP Wednesday "and inform him that he is to set aside whatever resources are required to compensate the workers and business owners who have been harmed as a result of his company's recklessness." He said the fund will be administered by an independent third party. (Source: Tcp, 06/15/10)

New flow estimate released

There's a new estimate for the size of the Gulf oil spill. Scientists said the well is leaking between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels a day. Previous estimates put the size as 20,000 to 40,000 barrels a day. The numbers are based on an analysis of high-resolution video taken by underwater robots, pressure meters, sonar, and measurements of oil collected by the containment device on top of the well. (Source: Washington Post, 06/15/10). Earlier today, a lightning strike caused a fire and forced BP to shut down a system that's been capturing oil from the well. The fire was extinguished and the system restarted five hours later. (Source: AP via Sun Herald, 06/15/10) President Barack Obama wrapped up a two-day visit to the Gulf Coast Tuesday. He's scheduled to give an evening talk from the Oval Office. (Multiple, 06/15/10) The Deepwater Horizon blew up April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has gushed into the Gulf of Mexico since then and has soiled parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

New procedure to capture oil has risks

BP unveiled a plan to boost the amount of oil it's siphoning from a ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico. It's sending more vessels to the site to increase its ability to capture oil, going from 15,000 barrels a day to more than 50,000 barrels by the end of this month and as much as 80,000 barrels a day by mid-July. Plans call for attaching a pipe to a part of the blowout preventer used in the failed "top kill" effort, and burning off any retrieved oil. But BP says the "junk" fired into the blowout preventer during top kill could clog the lines, which are not intended for continuous use and could erode. (Sources: Multiple, including Reuters, Christian Science Monitor, 06/14/10) President Barack Obama is in the Gulf Coast for a two-day visit. He warned of hard times to come, but also touted the region's continued viability for tourists. (Sources: Multiple, including Los Angeles Times, 06/14/10) Obama will address the nation Tuesday and Wednesday will meet with BP executives. The Deepwater Horizon blew up April 20, killing 11 workers. The spill has soiled 120 miles of coastline, damaged the fishing and tourism industry and has killed birds, sea turtles and dolphins.

NOAA grant awarded to SURA

A $4 million NOAA grant will help a university consortium evaluate the readiness of marine forecasts, such as flooding from storm surge or seasonal dead zones, along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts and improve those forecasts for use by emergency managers, scientific researchers and the general public. The grant will go to the Southeastern Universities Research Assocation, a group of more than 60 universities, including those from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. (Source: NOAA, 06/11/10)

Ship to be christened Saturday

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - The Navy will christen the newest amphibious transport dock ship, San Diego, Saturday during a 10 a.m. CDT ceremony at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The ship is named for the city of San Diego, principal homeport of the Pacific fleet. Designated LPD 22, San Diego is the sixth amphibious transport dock ship in the San Antonio class and is capable of embarking a landing force of up to 800 Marines. The ship is 684 feet long and powered by four turbo-charged diesels. (Source: DoD, 06/10/10)

Estimate of size of leak up

The Deepwater Horizon well is spewing at least 25,000 barrels of oil a day, and may be producing 40,000 or even 50,000 barrels a day. That's according to preliminary research from two teams of scientists appointed by the federal government to study the flow into the Gulf of Mexico. But another scientific team using a different methodology estimates a flow of 12,600 to 21,500 barrels. (Source: Washington Post, 06/10/10) Meanwhile, heavier concentrations of oil from the well have begun to hit Florida shores. (Source: Reuters, 06/10/10) Congressional leaders are increasing pressure on BP to fully compensate economic victims of the spill. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/10/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has spewed in the Gulf of Mexico since then.

Underwater plumes confirmed

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed underwater oil plumes as far as 142 miles from the BP oil spill. But concentrations are said to be "very low." NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said that the tests conducted at three sites by a University of South Florida research vessel confirmed oil as far as 3,300 feet below the surface. (Source: Multiple, including AP, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, 06/08/10) BP says the cost of the company's response to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has reached about $1.25 billion, not including $360 million for a project to build six sand berms meant to protect Louisiana's wetlands. (Source: AP via Mobile Press-Register, 06/07/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has poured into the Gulf of Mexico since. Shorelines from Louisiana to Florida have been soiled by oil, often in the form of tarballs, but much of the slick remains in the Gulf. A cap is now capturing some of the oil, and a larger one will be put over the well next month. It will be August before relief wells to stop the leak are in place. There have been numerous reports of dead animals.

Academy groundbreaking set

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - A groundbreaking will be held today for the $20 million Jackson County Maritime Trades Academy at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast in Pascagoula. The shipbuilder and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College are partners in the apprentice school. The new academy will enable the program to expand from 610 students to 1,000 apprentices. The facility is funded by a HUD Community Development Block Grant awarded by the state last year. (Source: Sun Herald, Mississippi Press, 06/08/10)

Cap recovering 10,000 barrels a day

The cap that was placed on the well that's been spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico is capturing some 10,000 barrels per day, about half the estimated flow. That's according to Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is commanding the federal response to the spill. (Source: New York Times, 06/06/10) NOAA has opened more than 16,000 square miles of previously closed fishing area off the Florida coast, including a 13,653-square mile area just west of the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. It was initially closed June 2 as a precaution, but the review of satellite imagery, radar and aerial data indicated that oil had not moved into the area. Additionally, the agency closed a 2,275-square mile area off the Florida panhandle federal-state waterline, extending the northern boundary just east of the western edge of Choctawhatchee Bay. The closed area now represents 78,182 square miles, about 32 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters. (Source: NOAA, 06/04/10)

Some oil being captured from cap

Oil continues to leak into the Gulf of Mexico, but a cap placed on the well is allowing some of the oil to be collected. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said at a news conference today that BP collected 6,000 barrels of oil in the first 24 hours of pumping oil to a ship on the surface. It plans to slowly close four vents on top of the containment cap to reduce the escaping oil. (Sources: Multiple, including AP, USAToday, 06/05/10) The shorelines of four states have been soiled with oil – some of it with the consistency of melted chocolate, some as tar balls. The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Some 19,000 barrels of oil a day is leaking into the Gulf of Mexico. Multiple efforts to contain it have failed. It will be August before relief wells are in place. Computer models show the oil could wind up on the East Coast and eventually be carried across the Atlantic toward Europe.

Contract: Austal, $99.6M

Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $99,557,548 modification to previously awarded contract for long lead time material for ships four and five of the Joint High Speed Vessel program. This contract provides LLTM for main propulsion engines, aluminum, waterjets, reduction gears, generators and other components to support construction of JHSV ships four and five. Ten percent of the work will be done in Gulfport, Miss., and 3 percent in Mobile. Other work will be done in Michigan, Virginia, Australia, West Virginia, Florida, Indiana, California and Iowa, and is expected to be completed by December 2011. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/04/10)

Spill offers research bonanza

BATON ROUGE, La. - As terrible as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is, it offers an opportunity for research for generations. Scientists and federal officials gathered at Louisiana State University Thursday for a day-long brainstorming. "We're here to find out what we know, what we don't know and what we need to know," said Robert Gagosian, president of the nonprofit Consortium for Ocean Leadership, which organized the event. An oceanographer at the Naval Research Lab at Stennis Space Center, Miss., Sonia Gallegos, last year received NASA funding to study spills. She said she wanted a small spill, but not something like this. She lives two blocks from the beach in Bay St. Louis and said the spill breaks her heart. (Source: Washington Post, 06/03/10)

Pipe cut, capping next

U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said BP has successfully sliced off a pipe in an effort to contain the oil that's gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. He said the cap was over the gusher and will be lowered today. In this method, oil will be pumped to the surface. The best chance to plug the leak with relief wells is still two months away. (Source: Washington Post, 06/03/10) The area closed to fishing in the Gulf of Mexico represents 88,502 square miles, about 37 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters. (Source: NOAA, 06/02/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico ever since. Attempts to stem the flow so far have failed. Most of the oil has come ashore in Louisiana.

Criminal probe launched

The government has launched a criminal and civil investigation into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday after meeting with state and federal prosecutors in New Orleans. (Source: Reuters via Washington Post, 06/01/10) Meanwhile, Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi said oil has nearly reached Petit Bois Island, south of Jackson County, Miss. His comment came during a conference call to update the media on the ongoing effort to fend off the oil. (Source: Sun Herald, 06/01/10). Oil is expected to hit Alabama shores Wednesday afternoon. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 06/01/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. Oil and gas have leaked from the well ever since, and efforts to stem the flow have failed.