Posted on 08/02/2010 8:00:28 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The New York Times devoted a big chunk of its front page one day last week to noting that much of the spilled BP Deepwater Horizon oil has "dissipated."
Most of it, in fact.
And to scant noticeable ill-effect -- at least so far -- relative to the apocalyptic rhetoric attending weeks of televised video footage that showed oil rushing from the ocean floor.
It's not clear how much oil actually spilled; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute expert Dr. Judy McDowell estimates that between 96 million and 184 million gallons made its way into the Gulf before the leak was capped two weeks ago.
That's a lot, right?
Well, maybe not.
Even at the high range, the leakage represents less than 20 percent of the capacity of the Central Park Reservoir -- some 1 billion gallons.
And the Gulf of Mexico is considerably larger than the reservoir: It holds some 643 quadrillion gallons of water, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency -- or 4.43 billion gallons of water for each gallon of escaped oil.
"The oil spill is definitely blown out of proportion," said McDowell last week, with a laugh, day after returning to Woods Hole from the Gulf Coast.
Because the oil entered the water a mile beneath the surface, she said, it will separate and dissipate on the way up.
Which tends to explain the Times' inability to find much oil last week.
And why maybe nobody ever will -- unless perhaps if a huge hurricane churns up the Gulf this summer and pulls plumes of oil to the surface.
But even then, according to McDowell, the worst that can be expected is merely light "oiling" of surface and some beaches. The volume of escaped oil versus the volume of the Gulf itself will determine that outcome.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Again, Deepwater Horizon isn't the same thing.
But modern civilization depends on the extraction and exploitation of petroleum -- an inherently dangerous undertaking.
Accidents are going to happen.
The alternative?
The lights go out around the world.
By now, environmental "catastrophes" should be old hat and automatically taken with a hefty dose of salt pending actual facts, not speculation by fifteen-minute media "experts" and wild guesses by political hacks.
Barack the great can sweep his lack of responce, on purpose at the time, to create a larger crisis, under the rug before the elections.
Probably also explains why the oil-caused death toll in that “near extermination of the dolphin population” turned out to be three.
This story, as with many of them lately, uses figures for estimated flow without adjusting them for the fact that close to a quarter of that “flow” was captured and processed before it could spill into the gulf.
Well, I’m glad to hear it, actually. I hope this means the shrimpers and fishermen and other working folks who’ve been in limbo down in the Gulf will be able to go back to earning their living soon.
My opinion on Obama’s utter lack of competence in dealing with this matter remains unchanged, of course. It could have been a quart bottle of 10W-30 that spilled in the gulf and I think he still would have managed to screw things up.
What to do, what to do?
Where did all the oil go?
The dispersants sank it.
Spotters would radio in when they found an area of oil. A boat to skim the top would head in that direction. A plane would then radio to clear the area and would then spray the area with dispersants. When the boat would arrive, the oil on the surface would be gone. It became sort of a big joke to those on the boats.
The dispersants took the oil to the bottom. Those telling us that the disperants are 100% safe don’t know. BP is already buying off all the marine biologists along the coast. They won’t be testifying against BP. That’s for sure.
I live along the coast and I know a few marine biologists. They will tell you that we’d been better off never using the dispersants. I know people involved with EPA testing of dispersants and I don’t have much confidence in EPA.
Before you know it, BP and all the other spinners will have us convinced that the oil and dispersants were good for us. They’ll have us believing that pelicans and crabs actually enjoy the flavoring of the dispersants.
It’s going to take years before we know the full impact of the oil and the dispersants setting at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
It’s going to take years before we know the full impact of the oil and the dispersants setting at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
Exactly right. Thanks for some clarity on this.
It’s going to take years before we know the full impact of the oil and the dispersants setting at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico
Aint that the truth. These people declaring victory at this stage are out in left field.
Here’s the latest number...
nearly 5 million barrels of oil have leaked into the Gulf ...BARRELS !
And they claim they can’t find oil...you believe it?
Me neither.
It’s a miracle! The 0bamassiah went to the wedding feast of Clinton and turned oil into water!
Obama really botched this one. He had everyone whipped into a frenzy enough to attempt a shut down of drilling in the gulf. Had it not been for a brave judge, Obama would have crippled our oil production. Now that the spill is known to be only a tiny fraction of the disaster the “experts” claimed it was, a crisis fix laden with communist goodies is out of reach now. Obama’s handlers are not going to be happy.
Multi-millionaire media lying again.
How do you know much of it hasn’t just evaporated and the rest was simply washed away by the currents and waves? the ocean is an immense and powerful system.
Pray for America
Like Rush said today: It’s sitting right next to the 3.5 million jobs OBozo “saved”.
vaudine
This article and some of your comments are idiotic. Disspersants are the real environmental disaster, and nature has not “devised strategies” for dealing with them. They do not eat or dissolve or make oil go away. The disspersants send the oil to the bottom, where it is hidden from sight. It is a bandaid by poison, and if anyone thinks having all that crude sent to the bottom is a good thing, they are stupid. The effects will be generational and just because tar balls stop washing up on beaches, does not mean tens of generations of sea-food/life will not be ruined at the worst, and mutated at best. Just a few thoughts before bragging about how the oil is “gone”.
The dispersant has a half-life of about 15 days. And it’s not particularly toxic — it’s an ingredient in laundry detergent or crying out loud. Furthermore, it does make the oil go away, by breaking the oil down into smaller droplets that have greater surface area, which makes it easier for chemical decomposition and oil eating bacteria to dispose of it. Nature is going to make quick work of the oil, and the Greatest Environmental Catastrophe in American History will turn out to be one big dud.
I care a lot personally about the Gulf Coast, and I’m very happy the gusher has been capped for a couple of weeks.
But I’ll feel a lot better when this is over - which it ain’t.
I’m sorry, but I have over 10 years experience using and testing different dispersants. FYI, there were 11 or 12 (offically) different dispersants used in the gulf and you don’t know what you are talking about. I have first hand knowledge of not only a particular dispersant that was used, but I have flown on the plane that delivered it. It was also the third most volume of any dispersant used in the gulf. Don’t even begin to lecture me on what is going on down there. People like you who spread disinformation because you looked something up on wikipedia are nothing but propogandists.
Not only did I read the entire article, but I also know more about the specific dispersants being used in the gulf than just about anyone in the press. The entire article is predicated on a lie and it spreads false information throughout. I promise you that I am not “embarassed”.
“How do you know much of it hasn’t just evaporated and the rest was simply washed away by the currents and waves? the ocean is an immense and powerful system”.
It’s going to take years before we know the full impact of the oil and the dispersants setting at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
2. Divide the huge number into two categories; (1) Provable damage (actual) damage from the Oil and (2) Theoretical damage (what "might happen" caused by media hype and government intervention.
Which "category" is the biggest?
Since I'm not a privileged scientist with hockey stick data at my fingertips, I'll have to guess (which is probably as accurate as the hockey stick people). 80% of the economic damage to the Gulf Coast was because of the media and government. If this is true, why should be BP be responsible for the WHOLE thing? BP is responsible for the spill and the cleanup ... but jobs? BP didn't call for the moratoriums, the Government did. BP didn't frighten the tourists by over-hyping the problem, the media did.
So who should pay?
BP 20% - Media 40% - Gov 40%
But I'm a Tea Bag Conservative, one can't have the gov or media paying for it, (because I'm the "government" and I pay for it as a taxpayer). So what do you do if someone causes damage but doesn't pay? You put them in jail, and most certainly you put them out of business.
No its not because it was an insignificant amount compared to the size of the ocean. If there was damage we would see schools of dead fish and we haven’t even seen dead shrimp.
Pray for America
Tests suggest oil dispersant washing up on Alabama beaches
http://blog.al.com/live/2010/08/tests_suggests_oil_dispersant.html
Again, it’s just too early to tell.
Tests suggest oil dispersant washing up on Alabama beaches
http://blog.al.com/live/2010/08/tests_suggests_oil_dispersant.html
Again, it’s just too early to tell.
Your claim vs. the biodegradability claim contained in the MSDS...
manufacturer indicates that Corexit reaches its maximum biodegradability within 28 days
I guess we’ll see which is the truth and which is hyperbole
Oil is lighter than water, that’s why it floats. The dispersants are also lighter than water. How is it that the mixture of the two would sink?
Wouldn’t it make more sense that the oil was dispersed and consumed by the ocean? It does to me.
Perry in the article you linked states it is to degrade in days. That is an outright lie and falsehood.
Most of the oil from the Exxon Valdez sunk to the bottom right around Bligh reef. The enviriwackos said the same thing you just did but also claimed that PWS would NEVER be the same and that it would cause extinctions, alter the Oceans, blah, blah, blah.
The entire mess cleaned itself up without a trace in less than a year. (I was there and saw it for myself.) But even still, you sound disappointed that the miracle of creation is as resilient as it is.
I bet you are someone’s ex-wife.
Thank you.
In other words you were the guy who cleaned the test tubes, right?
Here’s what the millions of gallons of poison Corexit didn’t take care of...yet...
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/08/louisiana_authorities_report_o_18.html
Yeah I live here in New Orleans but even many here believe the media over their own eyes.Even on this site , conservatives knowing how the liberal media lies and lies and lies:global warming, swine flu, slandered Palin, Slandered Republicans, Slandered Bush, bird flu,sars etc. . Even on this site many people still believe the liberal mainstream media . When will the people learn?
I'll try to find my old posts to link to them.
You know what you can go do with yourself.
Are you too stupid to have a civil discussion without acting like a punk?
I know people that have made a lifetime career in this field. I have a lot of experience and training in it too. My guess is that you haven’t.
Try, as difficult as it may be for you, to show just a little bit of class.
I really have no desire to engage in further discussions with you.
I’ve had several discussions with more than one marine biologist and they don’t see it that way.
Also, as I stated, know one knows the full impact at this point. That’s not liberal and that’s not conservative. That’s just my opinion and that’s all anyone else has to offer at this point.
FYI : The Dead Pelican.com has had pics up of the fish kills.
Where did the oil go ?
It’s down on the bottom,,,
Corexit was used to keep it there so BP could save money
when it comes to court,,,
Corexit was supposed to be used near the shore not dumped
in a large area of the Gulf,,,
Maybe you didn’t know that over 125 people have gone to the
Doc’s with rectal bleeding and other health issues,,,
BP wanted everybody to just go to THEIR doc’s at
Port Fourchon,,,
Read This :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corexit
http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/07/bp-gulf-disaster-act-two-the-corexit-calamity/
http://www.protecttheocean.com/gulf-oil-spill-bp/
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/77/214/Why_Is_BP_Using_Highly_Toxic_Corexit_Oil_Dispersant.html
There are some facts in these links among the “greenie” stuff,,,
Agent Orange ain’t soda-pop,,,
Corexit ain’t soap!!!...
125 cases of rectal bleeding among how many million? Guess I just don’t believe scientists anymore. This oil spill and the dispersant is nothing more than a drop in the bucket.
The shrimp have been apporved by an EPA that would love to shut the program down. This will be another hype that was overblown. Woulld like to find out the decision makers leading up to this error.
Pray for America
We'll just have to agree to disagree on this,,,
That 125 number was from the boat hands that were pulling
those booms around,,,
These folks were sprayed with Corexit when they were not
told to put on their protective gear as it said in the
directions for usage,,,
All that Corexit did was to keep the oil on the bottom so
BP could save money on the fine that they will have to pay,,,
A lot of the oil was pushed into the marsh by those small
storms we've had since the blowout,,,
There is now a large “dead zone” in the Gulf that was not
there before...
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