BP spill is already far larger than the 1989 Exxon Valdez (home, bankrupt)

[richelles]

Time will tell, ... ... which is false and has been after the second year of the spill in '89. But that rumor persists because normal people can't go see it. ... ... It won't be as much of a rally cry when people can see that nature itself is by far a better Stewart of the land than man every envisions himself being.

The first major oil spills I was aware of was when the tankers carrying oil from the Gulf and Caribbean, to the refineries along the East Coast, were being torpedoed along the East Coast of Florida. The heavy fraction of that oil, which covered the beaches during the early Forties at the beginning of the War In The Atlantic, is still visible in the sand if you dig holes in the right place. But those oil spills lasted near the surface of those beaches for many years afterward. During major storms twenty, and more, years later the sand was eroded far enough to release oil fractions onto the beaches from those buried deposits.

In Prince William Sound, it appeaers, it is still possible to dig into the rocky shore, in that spill area, and find traces of oil, which hasn't been digested to a tar like consistency, under the shoreline rocks. As long as the narrow Sound protects that shoreline from major storm activity that type of oil residue is going to exist under those rocks for years to come. Saying there is absolutely no oil denigrates the researchers, as liars, who have recently dug, photographed, and documented the presence of some oil from the Exxon Valdez spill as recently as the past year. All the people who have gone to that shore line and found some oil can't be painted with a single brush.

I saw the evidence fifty years after oil was deposited on the East Coast of Florida, which is in a near tropical climate, so I would be certain that in a region of cold water, and among rocks that would protect the oil from being flushed away by wave action, the residue would probably be still extant. Perhaps next summer when it gets warm some of us could go to the area and actually collect some samples for scientific examination to clarify the issue. The scientists who have recently made collections would probably be willing to accept our documented samples for scientific examination and I would be willing to do some checking for us. We would bring forth some facts to discuss that are backed by hard evidence. I would be willing to put some dollars where my mouth is to verify the possibility that with some effort oil could be found in the Sound near the spill area.

[richelles]

Macondo 252 well is effectively dead. Finally the BP oil spill is actually over at 5:54 CDT on September 19th. Today I found a science report by John Kessler, Texas A&M University where he says his latest research has found that the oil from the BP Oil Spill contains 40% Methane (By weight) which is high compared to the normal 5%. The final result of the BP Oil spill is the economics of deepsea oil drilling have changed forever.

However I'm unsure how the finding of 40% Methane coming out of the well affects the total volume of spilled oil hydrocarbons. At the depth of the leak the Methane (Natural Gas) was a liquid which has volume so the total volume of the spilled oil would be increased by the methane which was soluble in the water column and would not have been recovered by skimming at the surface.

We need to hope the economics will change for the better and in the direction of improved safety. If only to honor the memory of the 11 dead rig workers let's make safety the primary consideration.

[RedJacket]

This video was taken Tuesday right over the initial oil leak. Now its time to go do the same thing to the Arctic Ocean.


20110830 - OWOC Gulf of Mexico flight - YouTube

[SityData]

Originally Posted by richelles

let's make safety the primary consideration.

They have been beating that slogan to death for 40 years; It has accomplished very little.

[naturesdreams]

extremely frightning isn't it...

[richelles]

Originally Posted by SityData

They have been beating that slogan to death for 40 years; It has accomplished very little.

Perhaps if you knew something about what actually is taking place your comment might not be so inappropriate. It has allowed us to think about what might be possible if you allowed the same thing to happen in water with a temperature some 40-50 degrees colder. There is still oil bound up with the dispersant below the surface in the Gulf and today there is a major storm taking place on the surface and the oil slick is present and being accounted for today. Safety implies both safety for the humans involved and the waters where the spill occurs. At 30-40 degrees in the Arctic Ocean would any of the polar animals be safe? You are the one who has so vociferously defended the Native populations subsistence lifestyle in that area. Is it safe from a major spill? You don't seem to have a concept of what safety is.

[SityData]

Originally Posted by richelles

Perhaps if you knew something about what actually is taking place your comment might not be so inappropriate. It has allowed us to think about what might be possible if you allowed the same thing to happen in water with a temperature some 40-50 degrees colder. There is still oil bound up with the dispersant below the surface in the Gulf and today there is a major storm taking place on the surface and the oil slick is present and being accounted for today. Safety implies both safety for the humans involved and the waters where the spill occurs. At 30-40 degrees in the Arctic Ocean would any of the polar animals be safe? You are the one who has so vociferously defended the Native populations subsistence lifestyle in that area. Is it safe from a major spill? You don't seem to have a concept of what safety is.

I have worked on major industrial construction projects daily for over 40 years; I know what I have witnessed, and how little gets done. The cost usually overrides what actually needs to be done and I can site too many instances!

I've been witness to countles safety violations for 4 years as code inspector. I know of what I speak of and it is fact!

[Rance]

I for one am proud to be working for a company where safety is indeed the primary value, followed closely by minimal environmental impact.

[SityData]

Originally Posted by Rance

I for one am proud to be working for a company where safety is indeed the primary value, followed closely by minimal environmental impact.

Yes I agree; safety has to be #1. But too many times they cut corners to save $.

[Rance]

I'll admit there are many companies out there, doing just that. Fortunately I haven't worked for such a company like that in years.