Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 7
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Procedure
I took over the RADAR position at BPT/SBI. There were several slow aircraft in the 20's and 1 at FL190 moving eastbound which caused a complexity issue for aircraft departing the Houston terminal area. At the same time there were at least 2 aircraft westbound at FL220 moving slowly which compounded the complexity. As the departure traffic began to increase significantly; a military jet came out requesting W147D. The coordination for this airspace is very communication intensive (in fact; 7 sectors must be called and advised/requested that it is going active).  A D-Side was placed and she began helping out.  Aircraft X departed with Aircraft Y departing after on the same route of flight.  The departure (I90) controller coordinated with my D-Side that Aircraft X was assigned 280 knots or greater and Aircraft Y was assigned 280 knots. Both were leveled at interim altitudes and then their climb was resumed when they cleared the traffic.  I noticed that the Aircraft Y was overtaking the Aircraft X so I amended that Aircraft X's altitude to FL180 and instructed the Aircraft Y to expedite his climb to FL230. I  don't know if there was ever less than 1;000 feet between but there was less than 5 miles. I told the supervisor on duty and he called his counterpart at I90 (Houston Approach Control). The I90 supervisor told my supervisor that the departure controller was in training and the trainer had taken over when he was overwhelmed. He also said that the trainee put speeds on both aircraft but removed the speed restriction on one of them (It wasn't clear which). Neither myself nor my D-side was made aware that a speed restriction had been removed.I recommend that all speed restrictions are forwarded from approach to ARTCC. Flow control might also look into routing 'low and slow' aircraft away from busy departure sectors during periods of high traffic.
ZHU Controller reports of a loss of separation due to lack of speed control. Other sector did not advise the working sector that speeds were not given/or removed to continue separation standards.