U.S. NAVY SALVAGE REPORT DEEPWATER HORIZON ... - ESSM

Final Report, SONS Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Gulf of Mexico, 27 April — 24 September 2010
Orleans NAS Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse on 12–13 May. The loads were pending
arrangements by the NAS for adequate weight handling/lifting equipment to offload SUPSALV
OSR gear from the aircraft safely upon arrival. Included in the load were four additional Oil
Containment Boom systems and a 136K-Gal Oil Storage Bladder.
The OSV AHTS Vanguard, operating two Current Buster VOSS, was in port at Port Fourchon
due to adverse weather at the site. The OSV AHTS Vanguard was projected to remain in port
until Friday, 14 May.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
The USCG re-evaluated the requirement for SUPSALV OSR equipment coming from ESSM
base Fort Richardson, AK and reduced tasking by one Class V Skimmer System and two BHBs.
Seven Boom Mooring Systems arrived from Elmendorf AFB at New Orleans NAS Joint Reserve
Base in Belle Chasse. The SUPSALV OSR equipment was transported (for holding) to the
National Guard Warehouse Facility in Amelia. The remaining gear was staged at Elmendorf
AFB awaiting TRANSCOM transport to Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX) region. The USCG
evaluated surface transport of Class V Skimmer Systems and Oil Storage Bladder-136k.
Eight Class V Vessel Skimmers with full crews remain pre-positioned as follows: Slidell (qty 2),
Ship Island (qty 2), Pascagoula (qty 2), Bayou La Batre (qty 1), and Pensacola (qty 1) all fully
ready for tasking by the USCG. The teams conducted training and drills to maintain a high state
of equipment and personnel readiness.
The OSV MV John Coghill continued to operate out of Theodore supporting the deployment of
19,000′ of USS-42″ Oil Containment Boom and Boom Mooring Systems at the bay entrance near
Dauphin Island protecting Mobile Bay. Six Boom Mooring System deployments were
completed for a total of 10 Boom Mooring Systems deployed and set.
The OSV Wes Bordelon, loaded with 4000′ of USS-26″ Oil Containment Boom, attempted to
deploy the Oil Containment Boom around Breton Island. Unacceptable weather conditions
along with hazardous marine life suspended all operations and forced the vessel to return to port
in Venice.
The OSV AHTS Vanguard, operating two Current Buster VOSS, was still in port at Port
Fourchon due to adverse weather at the site. The estimated stay in port extended through
Sunday, 16 May.
Note: Total of 17,000′ of SUPSALV Oil Containment Boom was deployed and set to date.
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