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

Final Report, SONS Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Gulf of Mexico, 27 April — 24 September 2010
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
With continued coordination authority over the bulk of SUPSALV OSR equipment, the Federal
Reserve Asset Staging Unit in Gulfport (State Pier West) anticipated additional positioning per
the USCG FOSC direction. Two Class V Vessel Skimmers from Alaska were in route with an
EDA of 22 May. SUPSALV was tasked to move two additional Class V Vessel Skimmers from
Gulfport to the Slidell area.
Eight Vessel Skimming Systems 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
ready for tasking by the USCG. The teams conducted training and drills as weather permitted.
The spud barge, with two Class V Vessel Skimmers on board, was in Gulfport awaiting
repositioning orders.
The OSV MV John Coghill continued to operate out of Theodore supporting the deployment of
19,000′ of USS-42HB, 42″ X 55′ Oil Containment Boom and Boom Mooring Systems at the bay
entrance near Dauphin Island to protect Mobile Bay. Due to heavy currents, the Oil
Containment Boom and Boom Mooring Systems did not remain set and in place. Some Oil
Containment Boom sections separated due to the strong currents. Currents of 3 to 4 knots
rendered the oil containment systems ineffective. The Mobile Bay boom task force leaders
adjusted the previous Oil Containment Boom laying plans to deflection mode due to the heavy
currents affecting Oil Containment Boom deployment, maintenance, and effectiveness once
placed.
SUPSALV provided boom deployment specifications to include current limits that the boom can
withstand. See Appendix E.
The OSV Wes Bordelon loaded 5000′ of USS-26″ Oil Containment Boom and Boom Mooring
Systems in Venice. The Oil Containment Boom deployment locations were to be determined at
later time.
The OSV AHTS Vanguard, operating two Current Buster VOSS onsite at MC252, recovered
384 barrels of oil total to date as of noon.
Concerns were expressed to the ICP Mobile sector regarding the effectiveness of the Oil
Containment Boom operation strategy for the entrance to Mobile Bay because of current.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Two Class V Vessel Skimmers were in route from Alaska with EDA of 22 May.
Two Class V Vessel Skimmers were moved from Gulfport to Slidell. Two SUPSALV personnel
were sent to Grand Isle for possible shoreline skimming using two Salvage Support Skimmer
Systems (Salvage Skim Vans) staged there.
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