Gulf of Mexico News

New Tropical disturbance being followed could impact Gulf Coast By Karen Graham The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday was tracking three disturbances, including one heading for the Gulf of Mexico. It has a 60 percent chance of development within five days.

Feds announce huge Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale By Karen Graham The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is set to hold a Gulf of Mexico-wide oil and gas lease sale, which is scheduled for August 21 this year, and would include all available unleased areas in federal waters covering a total of 77.8 million acres.

Near-record Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' forecast for this summer By Karen Graham NOAA scientists are forecasting this summer’s Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone or ‘dead zone’ – an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and other marine life – to be approximately 7,829 square miles or roughly the size of Massachusetts.

Explosion from illegal pipeline tap kills 66 people in Mexico By Karen Graham A massive fireball that engulfed people scooping up fuel spilling from a pipeline ruptured by thieves in Tlahuelilpan, Mexico, on Friday. The body count has reached 66 people with at least 78 left badly burned.

Rain and coastal flooding expected over Labor Day weekend By Karen Graham A tropical wave creating thunderstorms from Hispaniola to the Turks and Caicos Islands is forecast to hit the Bahamas over the Labor Day weekend then move across Florida into the Gulf of Mexico.

Latest offshore oil drilling tract auction another bust for Trump By Karen Graham While being hailed as a great success by the Interior Department, the Trump administration's offshore Lease Sale 251 in the Gulf of Mexico made another "belly flop" with less than one percent of the tracts being sold on Wednesday.

Subtropical Storm Alberto reforms over Gulf of Mexico By Karen Graham Subtropical Storm Alberto has reformed over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, according to the Saturday 2 p.m. EDT update from the National Hurricane Center. Bands of heavy rains are impacting western Cuba and southern Florida.

Tropical system in Gulf of Mexico to dampen Memorial Day weekend By Karen Graham Concerns are growing that the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season may start early with the formation of Tropical Storm Alberto this Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Administration selling Gulf of Mexico oil and gas leases today By Karen Graham The Trump administration has called Wednesday's Gulf of Mexico oil and natural gas lease sale as the "largest in US history" and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has called it a "bellwether" for America's offshore energy future.

NHC: Tropical depression to become hurricane in Gulf by Sunday By Karen Graham The National Hurricane Center is tracking Tropical Depression 16, which has formed in the southwestern Caribbean and could form into a hurricane as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico.

Gulf of Mexico's 'dead zone' to be biggest on record this year By Karen Graham The oxygen-poor dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to be the third largest ever this year, doubling in size to cover an area of the northern Gulf roughly the size of the state of New Jersey.

Exxon announces $20 billion plan for Gulf Coast projects By Karen Graham On Monday afternoon, Exxon Mobil Corp. announced its plans to spend $20 billion over a period of 10 years on refineries and chemical and liquefied natural gas plants along the gulf Coast.

Scientists explore deadly underwater lake in Gulf of Mexico By Karen Graham Scientists have posted photographs and a video on the Internet of a mysterious and deadly lake 3,300 feet under the Gulf of Mexico. The lake, dubbed the "Jacuzzi of Despair" is a pool of certain death to any sea creatures that end up in its briny depths.

Op-Ed: Billions of gallons of oil-waste being dumped in Gulf of Mexico By Karen Graham While the spotlight has been on offshore oil drilling, fracking has been quietly going on behind our backs in the Gulf of Mexico. Over 1,200 permits were issued between 2010 and 2014, with billions of gallons of oil-waste water being dumped in the Gulf.

Shell oil spill dumps thousands of barrels of crude into Gulf By Karen Graham A leak in a pipeline released almost 90,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico Thursday, about 97 miles off the Louisiana coast. The leak forced the shut off of all wells leading into Shell's Brutus platform.

Op-Ed: Investigation of Gulf's abandoned oil wells yields surprises By Karen Graham Five years ago, the Obama administration promised the American people it would move swiftly to permanently plug unused oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Mexico. But an investigation by the Associated Press reveals that little has been done.

BP agrees to settle claims from 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill By Nathan Salant New Orleans - Oil giant BP Plc has agreed to pay nearly $19 billion in penalties to U.S. and state agencies to resolve claims still outstanding from a 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 and ravaged the southern U.S. coastline.

Millions of gallons of BP oil found on ocean's floor By Karen Graham While Gulf Coast residents are feeling pretty good about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, thinking it's now less harmful than originally thought, scientists have found almost 10 million gallons of BP's oil, sitting on the bottom of the Gulf.

Judge tells BP lawyers, 'This is not a college term paper' By Karen Graham Though a federal judge found British Petroleum not only negligent, but reckless in the operation of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion earlier this month, the oil giant's legal team is still having a hard time playing by the rules.

U.S. federal court rejects BP efforts to end oil spill pay-outs By Kev Hedges A federal court in the U.S. has rejected BP requests to halt payments over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The oil company said many claims filed were fictitious.

Fishermen 'catch' $2.5 million worth of cocaine off Florida coast By Leigh Goessl Destin - A group of fishermen working a couple of miles off of a Florida coastline recently snagged a large amount of cocaine. Officials estimate the catch is worth about $2.5 million.

Three major oil spills in just one week By Anne Sewell Last Friday, Shell Pipeline shut down their West Columbia Texas pipeline after it was found that 700 barrels had been lost, which amounts to almost 30,000 gallons of crude oil. A train derailed in Canada, and then there was that Mayflower, AR incident.

400-year-old treasure found at shipwreck site in Gulf of Mexico By Leigh Goessl Tampa - A 400-year-old treasure found off the Florida coast in the Gulf of Mexico has been recovered. The Spanish vessel was on its way back east when it succumbed to a hurricane.

Oil spills are often bigger than reported By Tim Sandle New research suggests that many ocean oil spills, classed as 'minor', are actually bigger than official reports indicate.

Filipino worker killed, 9 more injured in Gulf oil platform fire By Leo Reyes A Filipino worker at the oil platform that caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico located about 25 miles southeast of Grand Isle, Louisiana, has been found dead Saturday, according to the US Coast Guard.

Oil rig explosion and fire in Gulf of Mexico (updated) By Anne Sewell Reports have surfaced that an explosion has occurred at an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Two people have died from the fire, eleven are injured and two are currently missing.

Wildlife, Gulf Coast area once again at risk due to BP oil leak By Greta McClain BP is once again making headlines in the Gulf of Mexico, this time due to oil seeping from the abandoned containment dome used to help stop the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

BP exhibited 'willful misconduct' claims Dept. of Justice By Greta McClain New Orleans - The US Department of Justice filed a brief in United States District Court in New Orleans claiming BP showed "gross negligence", "willful misconduct" and exhibited a "culture of corporate recklessness" in the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf region under major pressure Special By Elizabeth Batt Fishing gear entanglements, harassment, strandings and feedings are costing Gulf region dolphins their lives. Digital Journal spoke with NOAA Fisheries Service and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, to find out more.

200-year-old shipwreck discovered on Gulf of Mexico floor By Leigh Goessl A remarkable discovery has been made in the Gulf of Mexico. During a recent expedition, a shipwreck was uncovered at the depths of the Gulf's floor.

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