DEEPWATER HORIZON Update May 25, 2010

BP today provided an update on developments in the response

Plans have been developed for a series of interventions via the BOP; it is currently anticipated these may be carried out over a period of about a week, commencing in the next few days. These interventions have not been carried out at these depths and conditions before and the success of individual options cannot be assured.

The first planned intervention is the so-called “top kill” operation where heavy drilling fluids would be injected into the well to stem the flow of oil and gas and, ultimately, kill the well. Most of the equipment is on site and preparations for this operation continue, with a view to deployment within a few days. If necessary, equipment is also in place to combine this operation with the injection under pressure of bridging material to seal off upward flow through the BOP.

Being progressed in parallel with plans for the top kill is development of a lower marine riser package (or LMRP) cap containment option. This would first involve removing the damaged riser from the top of the BOP, leaving a cleanly-cut pipe at the top of the BOP’s LMRP. The LMRP cap, an engineered containment device with a sealing grommet, would be connected to a riser from the Discoverer Enterprise drillship and then placed over the LMRP with the intention of capturing most of the oil and gas flowing from the well and transporting it to the drillship on the surface. The LMRP cap is already on site and it is anticipated that this option will be available for deployment by the end of May.

SUNDAY, MAY 23

By the Numbers to Date:

* Personnel were quickly deployed and more than 22,000 are currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife.

* More than 1,200 vessels are responding on site, including skimmers, tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and cleanup efforts—in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.

* More than 1.75 million feet of containment boom and 990,000 feet of sorbent boom have been deployed to contain the spill—and approximately 380,000 feet of containment boom and 1 million feet of sorbent boom are available.

* Approximately 10.8 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered.

* Approximately 815,000 gallons of total dispersant have been deployed—700,000 on the surface and 115,000 subsea. More than 300,000 gallons are available.

* 17 staging areas are in place and ready to protect sensitive shorelines, including: Dauphin Island, Ala., Orange Beach, Ala., Theodore, Ala., Panama City, Fla., Pensacola, Fla., Port St. Joe, Fla., St. Marks, Fla., Amelia, La., Cocodrie, La., Grand Isle, La., Shell Beach, La., Slidell, La., St. Mary, La.; Venice, La., Biloxi, Miss., Pascagoula, Miss., and Pass Christian, Miss.

Secretary Salazar Meets with Federal Science Team Working at BP Command Center
Secretary Salazar traveled to the BP Command Center in Houston to meet with the federal science team that is working with BP officials, scientists and engineers to help stop the flow of oil from BP’s well. Since day one, Secretary Salazar has continued to hold BP accountable for meeting critical deadlines as they attempt to close the well.
Oil Cleanup Efforts Continue to Build in Louisiana
Response personnel and Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Teams, along with hundreds of volunteers, continue to clean the Louisiana coastal areas impacted by the Deepwater BP oil spill. Approximately 400 people, more than 300 vessels and 45 aircraft are on-scene in Iberia, Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, and Terrebonne Parishes investigating reports of oil, cleaning impacted areas and evaluating response efforts to ensure the oil is removed with the most environmentally responsible methods.

Response crews and Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Teams have positioned more than half a million feet of boom in the region. They are manually removing oil with shovels and rakes, skimming the oil off the surface, applying dispersant and conducting controlled burning operations at every opportunity to minimize coastal impact.

Additional response personnel and equipment is being surged into areas where modeling and aerial surveillance indicate a greater potential for shoreline impact. Anyone who locates oil on the shore should avoid contact and report the sighting to (866) 448-5816.

Fish and Wildlife Operations Continue to Expand
Assistant Secretary of Fish and Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland visited Robert, Port Fourchon and Delta National Wildlife Refuge to oversee wildlife rescue missions and plans. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to expand their operations further to the west pursuant to reports of the oil spill impacting assets in that direction. Up to 10 personnel will be based out of Grand Isle and a barge will be moved to Trinity Island. An additional helicopter has been obtained to assist with wildlife rescue missions.

Property Damage Claims Processed
The administration will continue to hold the relevant companies accountable for repairing the damage and repaying Americans who’ve suffered a financial loss. BP continues to process claims via its claims website (www.bp.com/claims) and its helpline (1-800-440-0858). BP reports that 23,451 claims have been opened, from which $27.8 million has been disbursed. No claims have been denied at this time. There are more than 420 claims adjusters on the ground. To file a claim, visit www.bp.com/claims or call BP’s helpline at 1-800-440-0858. Those who have already pursued the BP claims process and are not satisfied with BP’s resolution, can call the Coast Guard at (800) 280-7118.

Controlled Burn Conducted
Favorable weather conditions allowed responders to conduct a successful controlled burn operation. As part of a coordinated response that combines tactics deployed above water, below water, offshore, and close to coastal areas, controlled burns efficiently remove oil from the open water in an effort to protect shoreline and wildlife.

SATURDAY, MAY 22

The President Signs an Executive Order Establishing Bipartisan Commission
President Obama announced that he has signed an executive order establishing the bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling with former two-term Florida Governor and former Senator Bob Graham and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly serving as co-chairs.

The bipartisan National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent—and mitigate the impact of—any future spills that result from offshore drilling.

The commission will be focused on the necessary environmental and safety precautions we must build into our regulatory framework in order to ensure an accident like this never happens again, taking into account the other investigations concerning the causes of the spill.

The commission will have bipartisan co-chairs with a total membership of seven people. Membership will include broad and diverse representation of individuals with relevant expertise. No sitting government employees or elected officials will sit on the commission.

The Commission’s work will be transparent and subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The Commission will issue a report within six months of having been convened.

EPA Releases BP’s Response to Dispersants Directive
The EPA released BP’s response to its directive on dispersants, which required BP to evaluate available, pre-approved dispersants for toxicity and effectiveness and report back to EPA within 24 hours. EPA will continue to work over the next 48 hours to ensure BP is complying with the directive. BP’s response to EPA’s directive, as well as the directive itself, can be found here.

BP and several of the dispersant manufacturers have claimed some sections of BP’s response contain confidential business information (CBI). By law, CBI cannot be immediately made public except with the company's permission. EPA challenged these companies to make more information public and, as a result, several portions of the letter can now be made public. EPA is currently evaluating all legal options to ensure that the remaining redacted information is released to the public. EPA continues to strongly urge these companies to voluntarily make this information public so Americans can get a full picture of the potential environmental impact of these alternative dispersants.

Preparation Continues for BP’s Top Kill Attempt to Stop Leaking Oil
BP and federal scientists and engineers continue to prepare for the top kill operation, which is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 25. From the command centers in Robert, La., and Houston, Texas, federal officials continue to review BP’s various procedures and contingencies for the top kill. Scientists from Sandia, Los Alamos and Livermore National Laboratories are examining the risks associate, and BP continues to evaluate options for lower toxicity dispersant and alternative supply chains.

Wildlife Rescue Flights Continue
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services conducted four flights today for recon/wildlife rescue missions and bird surveys.

Experts have growing concern that the oil will reach the loop current, pulling the oil down the west coast of Florida and back up its east coast.
For video of the oil spill trajectory click here