TestAmerica Supports BP Gulf Cleanup with Mobile Laboratories at Command Center

BP has tapped into TestAmerica’s environmental testing leadership in its cleanup of the Gulf. The result, aptly named “Lab City” by a BP official is an on-site mobile laboratory operation with 9 massive trailers housing TestAmerica scientists operating complex instrumentation, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Dennis Beckmann, BP’s on-site coordinator, commented, “There are many aspects of this overall cleanup plan that are unprecedented. In the area of environmental analysis, we have worked with TestAmerica for many years and we knew we could count on them to deliver. We needed capacity for immediate results for complex analyses, which you can see we have here in ‘Lab City’ as it’s called. And, we needed all of this virtually overnight as our response plan needs were immediate. TestAmerica delivered on all those fronts.”

BP called on TestAmerica early in May and TestAmerica instantly responded with a comprehensive plan to support the cleanup sample testing demands at the Unified Command Center in Houma, Louisiana about 60 miles Southwest of New Orleans. The Command Center is a former BP training center that has routinely seen over 1,000 people on-site from BP and Government Agencies since the cleanup began.

The nine TestAmerica trailers support a variety of testing methods critical to the Cleanup plan. TestAmerica reached out to its 2,800 work force to staff its on-site mobile lab in “Lab City” which typically has a team of 18 scientists on-site. Additional TestAmerica staff manage a Sample Receiving Office for BP in a function that serves all of the entities involved in the cleanup, BP and Government, working in collaboration at the Command Center.

Dr. Keith Wheatstone, Chief Operating Officer of TestAmerica added, “Early on, we solicited our employees looking for qualified Scientists to uproot and bring themselves down to the heat and humidity of Houma and work long days and nights. I was proud of the response and interest from our staff nationwide. We’ve had well over 200 of our most experienced Scientists make themselves available for this historic effort. We are committed to supporting the BP cleanup.”


About TestAmerica

TestAmerica is the leading environmental testing firm in the United States, including 36 laboratories and 33 service centers. TestAmerica provides innovative technical expertise and comprehensive analytical testing services. Specialty analyses include source and ambient air, aquatic toxicity, explosives, specialty organics, dioxins, drinking water, sediments and tissues, emerging contaminants, radiochemistry and mixed waste testing.

TestAmerica affiliate companies include EMLab P&K, the leader in analytical microscopy and indoor air quality; QED Environmental Systems, Inc., the leading supplier of groundwater sampling equipment and remediation pumping systems; TestAmerica Drilling Corp., provider of innovative environmental and geotechnical drilling; and TestAmerica Air Emissions Corp. (METCO Environmental), specializing in air emissions testing. TestAmerica currently employs nearly 2,800 professionals dedicated to exceptional service and solutions for our clients’ environmental testing needs.

Contact Information

James H. Miller

Vice President

TestAmerica

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