Posts Tagged ‘Deepwater Horizon’
When you insult scientists who have built their entire career with passionate curiosity and ethical research, and on top of that, attempt to shush them, there is bound to be some backlash. When our own country tries to quiet ethical research that may reflect negatively on the current government spin on the oil in the Gulf of Mexico, you get a lot of scientists ready to shout their findings from the rooftops, as it should be. The St Petersburg Times reporter Craig Pittman reported on this on August 10th.
“I got lambasted by the Coast Guard and NOAA when we said there was undersea oil,”
This, from USF marine sciences dean William Hogarth. Some officials even told him to retract USF’s public announcement, he said, comparing it to being “beat up” by federal officials. Read the rest of this entry »
Ever since the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank on April 20th 2010, I’ve had a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. It expands and and contracts depending on the level of fear or rage I’m in. Right now, after days of research on this disaster, the findings are dismal. The more you read and hear, the more horrifying it gets. My opinion is that this will be a life changing event and impact much of our world. Oilagedden is here. Like it or not.
Pretty bold statement? Nope not really. Not when you drill down and down through the facts and realize exactly what we are dealing with here. First, a little History:
Not quite a year ago,September 2 2009, BP announced a huge discovery of oil in an area of the gulf known as the Tiber Prospect. BP Announces Oil Discovery At Tiber Prospect In Gulf Of Mexico. The drilling had begun soon after BP bid successfully for the oil lease located in the gulf of Mexico, Mississippi Canyon plot 252. The US MMS (Mineral Management Service) auction, held March 19, 2008, They paid 34 million to win the Bid. Transocean Inc was contracted to provide the drilling platform and the Deepwater Horizon was moved into place. BP called this project and others in the area the Macondo Prospect.
According to rigzone.com RIGZONE – Transocean’s Deepwater Horizon Drills World’s Deepest O&G Well. A new record was set for drilling. 35,000 vertical feet. Taking into account the depth of the water at a mile, this well penetrates 6 miles into the earths core.
The well field in this area is known and has been known to geologists. It is huge and could encompass an area as large as 25,000 square miles under the ocean floor. What is even more staggering is the incredible pressure exerted by this oil field. In this horrifying article, Mother of all gushers could kill Earth’s oceans you’ll see that they estimate the pressure at somewhere around 160 to 175 THOUSAND PSI. Incredible! How in the world, is a well spewing oil at 160,000 PSI going to be capped? Sound like a large project? Sound like something never attempted before?
Right now, this record setting oil well has spewed out at least 5 million gallons of oil into our nation’s Gulf of Mexico. Its coming out at the rate of about 1.5 million gallons a week. And that is if you believe the 210,000 gallon a day estimate. Would it be reported if it was a million gallons a day? Read the rest of this entry »
