Gulf Coast oil spill could eclipse Exxon Valdez

[red_Dragon888]

http://www.marinij.com/opinion/ci_15275359

Marin Voice: What would Jacques Cousteau say?
Staff Report
Posted: 06/11/2010 12:36:45 AM PDT


STEVEN MACHTINGER
IF he were still alive, the celebrated undersea explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau would turn 100 on June 11. On the occasion of this milestone, he would undoubtedly be asked to comment on the BP oil disaster, one of the most significant injuries humans have ever inflicted on the ocean environment.

What would Cousteau say about the spillage of over 37 million gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, an area whose river system he explored in one of his last expeditions? What would he say about our destruction of fragile wetlands, beaches, endangered species and deepwater coral reefs?

Perhaps Cousteau would reflect on the irony that his first success as a filmmaker was made possible by financial support from British Petroleum, whose president was his wife's cousin. The year was 1953, and a best-selling book, "The Silent World," had just been written about Cousteau's explorations with his newly invented underwater breathing apparatus, the Aqua-Lung. Cousteau was not yet a true environmentalist. While he appreciated the wonders of the sea, he also welcomed the opportunity it presented for industrial exploitation.

[J.R.E.]

I am still hearing talk on CNN, about nuking it !    Right!...


Ed and I Are heading down to Fort Desoto park, in just a little bit.  Thought we'de get a swim in the Gulf before it's too late :

I can't imagine this area/ any area,  saturated with oil.   


http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_ft_desoto.htm


Ray

[Jeff G]

I just got home today from visiting my brother who lives on the beach near Gulf Shores Alabama . The first few days it was as beautiful as it ever was and we swam and went crabbing like we always do . Yesterday while at the beach the oil arrived and covered the beach . Within an hours time I saw that stretch of beach go from paradise to a stinking polluted mess .

There were shrimp boats trying to corral the oil and remove it but there is only so much they can do . Very sad .  

[J.R.E.]

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/6/13/629855.html?title=Men+find+what+they+think+is+oil+off+Pinellas+beach


Men find what they think is oil off Pinellas beach

The substance will be tested to see if it is oil from the BP spill.
A sample will be taken to a lab and analyzed.

PINELLAS COUNTY - Two men spotted what they think could be oil from the BP disaster off a Pinellas County beach while returning home from a fishing trip Sunday morning.

The men, Steve Weiss and David Mokotoff, said they were about four to five miles off Pass-a-Grille beach when they spotted what they believed was an oil sheen on the water.

"We saw this ribbon of orange brown material," Mokotoff said. "Steve initially thought it might be discharge from somebody's boat, but then when we got closer it was so long, even though it wasn't wide we thought about the oil spill and decided to take a closer look at it."

The men also said they smelled the substance.

"It smelled like oil, so we went back to investigate and, unfortunately, it felt like oil," Weiss said. "We touched it; you couldn't get it off your hands."

The men filled a bottle with some of the water and brought it home. Representatives from the Coast Guard and Department of Environmental Protection pick up the sample.

The agencies said they do not believe it's oil, but the sample will be taken to a lab and analyzed.

"It's green in color and doesn't appear to be oil," said Kelly Smith, a marine science technician with the U.S. Coast Guard. "But we'll be able to verify that 100 percent whenever we can get this back and have somebody actually look at it."

The Coast Guard said they've been getting a lot of calls and reports from people with similar concerns, but so far they haven't tested anything that's actually been oil from the BP spill. They said most of the samples they've tested have turned out to be algae or other plant life.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pass-a-Grille beach is about 20 or so miles south of Clearwater beach.

Ray

[Miss Philicia]

STUNNING NEW DEVELOPMENT IN GOVERNMENT/CORPORATE COLLUSION

[Hellraiser]

This guy is pure genius.  Is he protesting as an army of one?

[red_Dragon888]

 "Sell crazy some place else -- we're all stocked up here."  

[J.R.E.]

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/6/13/629855.html?title=Men+find+what+they+think+is+oil+off+Pinellas+beach


Men find what they think is oil off Pinellas beach

The substance will be tested to see if it is oil from the BP spill.
A sample will be taken to a lab and analyzed.

By the way, the substance the fisherman had was determined not to be oil from the leak,

At least not this time.

I 'l Be watching this today :

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38259.html



Ray

[alliance]

So I wonder what it was they found if it wasn't oil?

[Miss Philicia]

Ah!  Living the Libertarian Dream!

Nigerians don't see what all the fuss is about in the Gulf and think you folks should just man up!

[J.R.E.]

So I wonder what it was they found if it wasn't oil?

I should have saved the link, now I can't find it.  Apparently it was algae growth.

Ray

[J.R.E.]

What a Fucknut!...


Joe Barton ( Republican from Texas apologizes to BP)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv0siXm2cpc


Ray

[WillyWump]

IF YOU CANT KILL THE TURTLES BY DROWNING THEM IN OIL, JUST BURN 'EM ALIVE!! THAT'LL LEARN 'EM!

Apparently BP believes not enough turtles are dying....

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/oil_spill/is-bp-burning-sea-turtles-alive-06222010

Can this spill get any more disgusting

-Will

[Hellraiser]

IF YOU CANT KILL THE TURTLES BY DROWNING THEM IN OIL, JUST BURN 'EM ALIVE!! THAT'LL LEARN 'EM!

Apparently BP believes not enough turtles are dying....

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/oil_spill/is-bp-burning-sea-turtles-alive-06222010

Can this spill get any more disgusting

-Will

Those turtles were all pedophiles.

[WillyWump]

Those turtles were all pedophiles.

Thanks Heck, it officially just got more disgusting.

-Will

[Jeff G]

I like turtle soup but trying to cut back on salty oily food .

[red_Dragon888]

I was easedropping on some West Indian men, maybe Jamaicans, talking about the oil spill back from where they came from.  I didn't get the whole story, but I heard one man say "Man, oil up to here (I assume his hip)."  And he said, "It must be oil man, what else could it be"  I fear for the whole Carribean Sea, its ecosystem and its inhabitants.

[mecch]

Kevin Costner is supposed to have the fix. 

[skeebo1969]

Kevin Costner is supposed to have the fix. 

Great, just what we need, another Waterworld .

[J.R.E.]

And as the oil continues to gush,  Evacuation plans are now in place for the Tampa Bay area, should/when the oil arrives:


http://www.examiner.com/x-17299-Hernando-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2010m5d9-Gulf-Oil-Spill-2010-Plans-to-evacuate-Tampa-Bay-area-expected-to-be-announced


Florida Gulf oil spill: Plans to evacuate Tampa Bay area are in place
May 9, 8:56 PMHernando County Political Buzz ExaminerMaryann Tobin



UPDATED: June 14, 2010
Gulf Oil Spill 2010: Plans to evacuate Tampa Bay area are in place

Gulf oil spill 2010 called weapon of mass destruction: BP fights back with garbage

Deepwater Horizon oil slick moving in on Florida & Atlantic Ocean for disaster of epic proportion

Is Florida drinking water supply threatened by BP Gulf oil spill? (Video)

NOAA projections for BP oil spill is world wide catastrophe (Video)

Deepwater Horizon sub-sea blowout:Expert says oil spill ‘doomsday scenario’ may have already begun

BP oil spill wildlife dying by the thousands (Video, Photos)

Florida BP oil spill UPDATE: Oil spill map moves slick closer to Tampa Bay area
 

 

UPDATED: June 14, 2010

Gulf Oil Spill 2010: Plans to evacuate Tampa Bay area are in place

As FEMA and other government agencies prepare for what is now being called the worst oil spill disaster in  history, plans to evacuate the Tampa Bay area are in place.

The plans would be announced in the event of a controlled burn of surface oil in the Gulf of Mexico, or if wind or other conditions are expected to take toxic fumes through Tampa Bay.

This practice has been used by the US Forestry service, when fire and smoke threaten the health and well being of people.

The elderly and those with respiratory problems would be more susceptible to health risks, in the event of a controlled burn.

Estimates of the rate of BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill have varied. Independent scientists now suggest that the true spill rate, before the riser pipe was cut off in June, was between 20,000 and 50,000 barrels a day.

Since the April 20th explosion, which resulted in the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon rig, there have been more than a million gallons of chemicals poured into the Gulf of Mexico in efforts to break up the spill. The chemicals have come under scrutiny  because of their own toxic nature.

It is not certain if the massive slick will have to be set on fire near Tampa Bay, but the possibility has not been ruled out.

BP has been using controlled burns as a way to contain the oil spill since the crisis began.  Plans to do additional controlled burns around the well site were announced by Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen at a briefing in early June.


A couple of weeks ago, we received memo's at work regarding this, since many of our residents have respiratory, and other health issues.


Ray

[red_Dragon888]

I should have saved the link, now I can't find it.  Apparently it was algae growth.

Ray

yeah, sure. 

[fearless]

Ah!  Living the Libertarian Dream!

Nigerians don't see what all the fuss is about in the Gulf and think you folks should just man up!

A nice bit of perspective, Philly.

[WillyWump]

What wears well with oil???

With Alex in the Gulf Revving up (predicted to be upwards of Cat 3 hurricaine) I feel it prudent as a gay man to be fashionally prepared when the "Oilicane" comes ashore. Should I go with a Traditional Polo? or perhaps a vintage pearl snap plaid??

All light heartedness aside, let's keep our fingers crossed that Alex doesnt take a further turn north and take aim on LA and Drench New Orleans with goo...it would be an epic disaster.

As a South Texan I'm willing to take one for the team and for once I can say I hope a hurricaine hits Texas (and not further east).

-Will

[skeebo1969]

Ah!  Living the Libertarian Dream!

Nigerians don't see what all the fuss is about in the Gulf and think you folks should just man up!

Wow, now that is extremely sad... destroy the earth for profit and greed.

[mecch]

Whats with the doomsayer scenarios that the sea floor is about to blow out with many holes around the original drill site.  Never to be capped or contained.

[fearless]

i've heard that too Mecch. Can't find the link but will try today. It's a very, very scary prospect though. The article I read 'hinted' that there were already several plumes spewing oil from a number of cracks in the sea floor, and that the sea floor in the area was fractured beyond repair.

[WillyWump]

i've heard that too Mecch. Can't find the link but will try today. It's a very, very scary prospect though. The article I read 'hinted' that there were already several plumes spewing oil from a number of cracks in the sea floor, and that the sea floor in the area was fractured beyond repair.

Here's one explanation of it, not sure of it's veracity however...

http://madmikesamerica.com/2010/06/the-bp-doomsday-scenario/

-Will

[J.R.E.]

BP admits that the wellhead is tilting :

http://www.saveourgulf.net/?p=153


Ray

[red_Dragon888]

I can't believe it is still not plugged up yet. 

[mecch]

That is one mighty grim doomsday scenario.  I think I need a temesta after reading that

[Miss Philicia]

BBC News: BP says oil has stopped leaking

[Hellraiser]

BBC News: BP says oil has stopped leaking

Hold on one moment let me put that through the "Publicity/Spin Filter"...Ok it looks like in reality it will actually stop leaking in the year 2037

[WillyWump]

BBC News: BP says oil has stopped leaking

YAY!!! the oil has stopped leaking! ohhhhhhhhh, The gulf Is still Dead

-Will

[J.R.E.]

http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2010/july/123639/BP:-48-hour-cap-testing-window-closes-Saturday



By Jonathan Petramala, Reporter
Last Updated: Saturday, July 17, 2010 6:31 AM
More Info

   

NEW ORLEANS --

It's a wait and see situation for BP engineers this weekend.

They're working around the clock to figure out why pressure readings aren't rising as much as expected.

According to U.S. Coast Guard officials, the reservoir of oil could have run out, or there may be another leak.

Higher pressure readings mean the well is containing oil, while lower pressure could mean oil is escaping.

Saturday afternoon will mark two full days since BP stopped oil from leaking into the Gulf of Mexico and entered the pressure-testing phase.

BP's senior vice-president Kent Wells said the testing window is about to come to a close, and engineers should know whether the new containment cap will be a long term solution.

"Every six hours, we are going to look at everything we know and make the right decision to move forward," said Wells in a teleconference. "And so, no decision has been made yet at what we'll do at the end of 48 hours. And I can equally say no decision has been yet what we are going to do in the next six hours, 12 hours, whatever. But, what we will do is try to make the best decision that minimizes pollution and avoids risk. That's what we're committed to doing."

Engineers plan to reopen the cap, review the data collected from the tests, then decide their next step.

This is the first time in nearly three months that no oil is gushing into Gulf waters.

[J.R.E.]

  


According to U.S. Coast Guard officials, the reservoir of oil could have run out, or there may be another leak.

Higher pressure readings mean the well is containing oil, while lower pressure could mean oil is escaping.

Hate to even think it...


I would guess the second, I don't believe the reservoir ran out.  I sure hope there is no other leak !

Ray