CG’s Mobile Bay test burns

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard Research and Development Center, in conjunction with the Naval Research Laboratory, Joint Maritime Test Facility, Bureau of Safety of Environmental Enforcement and other federal, state, and local stakeholders, will be conducting a series of controlled test burns of crude oil at Little Sand Island in Mobile Bay, Ala., during the week of October 17. The pre-planned burns will allow researchers from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to gather critical data to help oil spill responders determine best practices for operational use at site-specific burns, development of new equipment and procedures, and to train response personnel. There will be several controlled test burns during the week. Each will burn about five gallons of oil for about 10 minutes, producing a small plume of black smoke. (Source: Coast Guard 10/14/16)