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Report - Situation

SPILL SITUATION: TANKER ALVENUS REMAINS AGROUND ABOUT 11 MILES SOUTH OF CALCASIEU PASS.
THERE IS SEVER DAMAGE TO THE FOWARD AREA OF VESSEL WITH A CRACK EXTENDING COMPLETELY
THROUGH #2 PORT, STARBOARD AND MOST LIKELY CENTER TANKS. THESE TANKS CONTAIN
45-50,000BBLS(1.6 MILLION GAL) OF TWO VENEZ. CRUDES. 215,000 BBLS OF PILON(S.G. .972) AND
115,000(S.G. .952) ARE ONBOARD THE VESSEL. THE FOWARD SECTION OF THE VESSEL IS IN DANGER
OF COMPLETELY SEPARATING FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE SHIP. LARGE QUANTIES OF OIL COULD BE
RELEASED IF THIS OCCURS.  BEST ESTIMATES PUT AMOUNT OF OIL LOST AT 40-50,000 BBLS,
INVOLVING BOTH CRUDES.  NO LIGHTERING OF THE VESSEL HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN AS OF YET.
STABILITY OF VESSEL IS A CONCERN FOR THIS OPERATION.  LOCATION OF OIL SLICK: AS OF 1 AUG
AFTERNOON SLICK EXTENDED FROM SHIP IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION, GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SHORE
FOR ABOUT 32 MILES. THE MAIN SLICK IS DIVIDED INTO MAJOR AREAS, WITH A BREAK OCCURING
ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF SABINE PASS. VERY LARGE QUANTIES OF HEAVY BLACK CRUDE OIL IS
PRESENT IN THESE AREAS. THERE IS NO VISABLE EVIDENCE OF OIL EMULSIFICATION, HOWEVER, OIL
AT THE WESTERN END OF THE SLICK IS VERY VISCOUS. THE SLICK IS NARROW, WITH THE MAJORITY OF
OIL CONCENTRATED IN A BAND 100YDS WIDE. BY 1630 THE LEADING EDGE OF THE SLICK WAS 18 MILES
EAST OF TEXAS COAST.  SPILL CONTROL MEASURES. THE ONLY EQUIPMENT DEPLOYED IS ONE USCG OPEN
WATER CONTAINMENT SYSTEM 500YDS DOWNWIND OF VESSEL. NO OIL WAS COLLECTED TODAY. IT HAS
BEEN DETERMINED THAT CONTAINMENT, SKIMMING, OR DISPERSION WOULD NOT BE EFFECTIVE ON THE
REMAINDER OF THE OIL SLICK DUE TO THE VISCOUSITY AND WEATHERING OF THE OIL. OIL PRESENTLY
ON THE WATER WILL REACH LAND BEFORE CLEAN UP CAN BE ATTEMPTED.  SPILL TRAJECTORY FORCAST:
WINDS ARE FORCASTED TO REMAIN FROM THE EAST AND NORTHEAST THROUGH THURSDAY INCREASING TO
15 TO 20 KTS.  OIL IS FORCAST TRO REACH AREAS EAST OF HIGH ISLAND BY THURSDAY, LATE
AFTERNOON. TRAJECTORIES WILL BE REVISED AGAIN THURSDAY MORNING.  NOAA ACTIVITIES:
CONCERTED EFFORTS WERE UNDERTAKEN TO PROVIDE ACCURATE OIL TRAJECTORIES FOR THE SPILL.
CURRENT MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE IN AREA OF SLICK, ALONG WITH DIFFFERENTIAL OIL/WATER
VELOCITIES MEASUREMENTS. CRITICAL SUPPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORCAST OFFFICE IN REGION, WITH ASSISTANCE FROM SEATTLE OCEAN SERVICES CENTER.
ENVIROMMENTAL TRADE OFFS ASSOCIATED WITH DISPERSANT USE WERE EVALUATED, WITH INPUT FROM
NMFS REGION AND LABS, INCLUDING MONITORING REQUIREMENTS IF APPLICATION WERE UNDERTAKEN.
RIDLEY SEA TURTLES IN AREA OF FORCASTED OIL IMPACTS ARE A CONCERN. USE OF DISPERSANTS ON
OIL ALREADY ON WATER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED AS AN OPTION. IT MAY STILL BE AN OPTION IF
ADDITION OIL IS RELEASED FROM THE VESSEL IN LARGE QUANTIES.  CONCERN ABOUT SHRIMP FISHIERY
CURRENTLY ACTIVE IN AREA HAS RESULTED IN SLICK LOCATION BROADCASTS ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO
TO WARN FISHERPERSONS OF AREAS TO BE AVOIDED DUE TO OIL. NMFS AND FDA WILL INSTITUTE
SCREEN OF SHRIMP CATCHES IN AREA TO PREVENT TAINTED SHRIMP FROM REACHING MARKET AND
ASSURING CONSUMER CONFIDANCE.  PLANS: PROTECTION STRATAGIES FOR SENSITIVE SHORELINE AREAS
ARE BEING DEVELOPED. EFFERTS WILL CONCENTRATE NEAR ENTRANCE TO GALVESTON BAY. CLEAN UP
ALTERNATIVES FOR OILED SHORELINES WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED. IT IS EXPECTED THAT LARGE
AMOUNTS OF OIL COULD REACH LAND.  TRAJECTORY FORCASTS WILL CONTINUE, INCLUDING DETAILED
LOOKS AT ENTRANCE TO GALVESTON BAY.  WEATHER AND TIDE INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO
SUPPORT CLEAN UP OPERATIONS.  NOAA PERSONNEL ONSCENE: R. PAVIA SSC J.A. GALT MODELING D.L.
PAYTON MODELING