Gulf of Mexico BP Oil Spill Mobilized Gulf Coast Wildlife Rescue
71Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Mobilizes Wildlife Rescue Teams
Two years on from the Horizon Deepwater Gulf of Mexico oil spill and wildlife rescue teams continue remarkable cleanup work. You may recall the oil spill grew unabated. BP originally estimated that 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons or 955,000 liters) a day of crude oil was flowing from the deepwater well off Louisiana after it ruptured. There is now a worse case scenario that estimates that the leak could be 100,000 barrels per day.
The oil spill is now confirmed as larger than the Exxon Valdez disaster. This makes the Horizon Deepwater well spill the largest in U.S. history. There are many irate oilmen pointing the finger at serial safety culprit BP and Transocean who operated the well.
There are also many pointing the finger at the tardy response by the Obama administration to rescue the environment. The irony has not been lost after democrats cited the Bush’s administration’s tardy response after Katrina as an example of a shoddy government. We have already had Florida demand money from BP and a $20 billion Fund set up BP. The Gulf of Mexico oil spill mobilized wildlife rescue teams out of sheer urgency and necessity, not politics. Wildlife rescue teams have been working non-stop with help from volunteers from around the world. Let us hope the lessons are headed in future environmental disaster planning.
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Wildlife Casualties
The first casualty from the oil spill found on the Gulf coast is a single Northern Gannet seabird. The Northern Gannet feeds by plunge diving for fish and squid. You may be familiar with it because of its black and white plumage. Most birds stay fairly close to land, and as such their vulnerability will increase as the spill meanders towards shore.
The bird was found alive but coated in the oil slick making it’s way ashore along the Louisiana coastline. Images brought back memories of the Exxon Valdez disaster. This disaster however potentially dwarves tithe Valdez disaster s caused by a drunken ship captain running off course and rupturing the oil tanker.
What must be understood is the wetlands of this region of the United States are the largest of its kind in the world. The region has a thriving population of fish, birds, turtles and wetland and coast marine wild life. The potential environmental calamity is mind numbing if the oil slick is not repelled. Five threatened and endangered species of sea turtles have been identified in the region. There are also alligators, manatees, dolphins, sharks, stingrays and whales in the vicinity of the spill.
Sperm whales have been seen swimming in the waters that have been covered by oil. Studies previously have found dolphins and whales tend to avoid oil spills, lets hope these sighted sperm whales are an anomaly. Whales draw one of the strongest reactions by environmentalists and the public alike when they are put at risk.
Thankfully there have been no 'confirmed animal impacts' yet according to one of the wildlife rescue teams leaders. Dr. Michael Ziccardi is a veterinarian and director of the ‘oiled wildlife care network’ currently in Houma, Louisiana overseeing some of the wildlife rescue teams. He did add in an interview that; 'That is not going to stay the same. We are expecting many more (casualties) in the days to come. We hope that number is not catastrophic. We're ... hoping for the best but planning for the worst.'
Oiled Wildlife Care Network
The Oiled Wildlife Care Network is a California-based organization and has deployed Dr. Ziccardi to assist with the wildlife response activities since the oil spill. The network also directs and assists volunteers to the spill site.
- If you wish to assist call OWCN on 1-866-448-5816. You can also track the clean up and oil spill by visiting the Deepwater Horizon site or the OWCN blog,
- If you find or wish to report an oiled animal, please call 1-800-557-1401 and leave a message with OWCN. OWCN has said that messages will be checked hourly.
Dr. Ziccardi has responded to over sixty Californian oil spills. What he has learnt there is that until wildlife is washed ashore or found stranded it is not clear just how intensely damaging to wildlife the oil spill will be.
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Oil Spill Making Landfall
We have just seen the massive oil slick begin to snake itself towards landfall. In a region that has suffered from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike over the past few years this comes as another blow. One thing about those that live along the Gulf is they are very resilient and determined to protect their region. The barrier islands of the Mississippi River Delta off Louisiana saw the first oil globules come ashore on Friday.
It is very important to get to the animals quickly once they have covered in oil as the oil breaks down the natural insulating ability of a bird’s feathers. This in turn strands them as they have difficulty remaining mobile to fly or swim. It also lets in the cold causing hypothermia. This also affects all other marine wildlife, as there are a multitude of chemicals present in the slick that cause irritation and burning. Should they swallow these chemicals than digestion can prove fatal.
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The Potential Impacts
We know the slick is huge and we know it is growing by the minute. The question is what hopes do we have of diverting this massive wildlife disaster?
The crucial factors
- When can the broken undersea be capped, obviously the sooner the better?
- What role will the weather take? Currently the Gulf is seeing high winds and choppy seas, this makes rescue efforts harder and moves the slick faster and over a larger area.
- Can we contain the oil slick? This is crucial, the weather works against this also with high seas limiting the effectiveness of mobile barriers placed to keep the oil offshore and contained. We can have the environmental dangers of chemical dispersants to contend with.
Oil Spill Bad Timing for Wildlife
Of course the fact that the oil spill happened is bad timing. However it is especially bad given that the oil slick is heading directly for the Mississippi Flyway. This flyway is a key migratory corridor said Dr. Ziccardi. He added that 'There are certain songbirds and shorebirds that are going through their peak migratory period.' 'There are other birds for which this is a nesting and egg-laying period.'
Sea turtles, which already face natural predators such as birds for their eggs are now being exposed because this is right when their nesting cycle begins.
A positive (if you can garner one) from having the large presence of boats and planes in cleanup operation Dr. Ziccardi said they 'are a wonderful deterrent’ to scaring the threatened wildlife away from the spill zone.
Though the spill may be greater than the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska the mortality level for birds along the Gulf Coast may be smaller. It has been estimated 250,000 seabirds perished in the Valdez disaster. Dr Ziccardi explained that, 'We don't have the same densities of sea birds in this area as Prince William Sound,' and 'But that's not to say that if the spill continues and birds are affected, we won't have sizable losses
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill mobilizes wildlife rescue teams; lets just hope it is enough to turn back the untold damage that awaits the marine wildlife if the slick is not turned back.
- Gulf Oil Spill Largest Marine Oil Spill in History
U.S. government scientists released revised figures saying nearly 5 million barrels of oil leaked from Macondo prior to the well being temporarily capped on July 15. This surpassed the 1979 Ixtoc well blowout in Mexico's Bay of Campeche.
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Comments on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Wildlife RescueLoading...
Ethel yes it is terribly sad for the wildlife of course but also the people around the Gulf that have had what seems like disaster after disaster. Economically I agree - BP and transocean have had a few accidents and this time the big one.
Truly informative hub you've written here. I just heard the slick is now the size of Jamaica! Unbelievable. I have been wondering to myself whether BP kept up with needed maintenance on this site. If it could have been prevented had they done so? Speculation on my part, but your hub has provided many details, thanks for putting it together.
Thanks Jen - wow as big as Jamaica - and growing that is just incredible. I just have my doubts about BP. Particularly around the gulf. Remember the deaths from the refinery explosion in Houston a few years back. They were a disaster under John Brown so this mishap wouldn't surprise me. they rented the rig from Transocean so maybe there is some responsibility there also.
This is a disaster of major proportions and seems to be growing by the day. Speculation is that 25,000 barrels of oil a day is now being spewed into the Gulf instead of 5,000 which would have been bad enough. You put a lot of information with graphics into this most topical of hubs. Good work! Let's just hope the work done by BP, our government and all the wildlife rescuers will help avoid a catastrophe of mammoth proportions.
Its very worrying - I'm glad I read your Hub. It's given me more insight into what's happening over there.
What's more worrying is the increase in natural disasters. They just spring up. Few weeks ago, Ash Cloud Europe, then Earth quake in China and now not only are parts of America affected by the Oil Spill, but I heard on the news a Bomb was placed in Time Square. (Deep Sigh!)
May Angels watch over us all.
Best Wishes.
Thanking you for taking the time to research and write this. The different pictures really helped to see the massive size of the spill area. I wonder what technologies we really have to contain and clean something like this? Everything on the news suggests we basically don't have a clear answer on what to do.
Truly terrrible disaster. Hard to classify it as a "natural" one, since it resulted from human action as a whole. Drilling under the Gulf is the start of it. It's obvious what happens with any accidents involving oil and water. And no secret how critica to the ecology of our planet clean oceans and gulfs are. So the risk was taken when it was decided to drill for oil under them. I guess that every time we get in our cars for a non-essential trip we are part of the cause. We still aren't fully convinced that this planet has limited resources and our limitless use of them has disaster in its future.
Very sad indeed. Its going to take years to recover from this.Thanks for a very informative hub.
The oil company and the government knew the risk involved in a venture like this, yet out of PURE GREED they went ahead anyway. When will they ever learn? Mess with God and your possibly going to get bit in the A^^ss. Like we haven't done enough yet to destroy planet earth.
Brother Dave.
I am certainly glad you wrote this hub before I did. I have been contemplating it but I knew it was just going to be violent and as many times as I have sat down to write it, I found myself so angry and frustrated. I'm so tired of hearing about the devastating and haunting effects that mankind has on innocent wildlife. I swear I could just shoot fire out of my eyes every time I think about this spill. Thank you for writing such an informative hub!!
It's like just waiting for what next and how close will it hit to us personally. I'm still not over knowing I am drinking chemically treated sewer water that will eventually make us grow extra ears, etc. I just watched a show about Mexicans drowning trying to get across a barrier we put up and they are all over the country, in schools, colleges, illegal has become legal without anyone admitting it, two men put to protect our borders put in prison for protecting our borders! The whole world is crazy, I really can't have much hope, especially while we all allow it all to happen. Politicians line their pockets, never dreaming it will get them too one day. At least that's some consolation.
Peggy - yes it disaster - no doubt - the graphics I got from OWCN - thankfully there is an organization like that in America. I think they were slow to addressing the environmental impact of the disaster from what I have read. There were also lives lost in the explosion - truly a disaster for all.
Lady_E you are right it does appear that we are seeing a never ending flow of natural disasters. Though this was caused by an explosion on the drilling platform so is man made and that is the issue. how did it come about? Human lives lost and now marine wildlife and a whole ecology threatened. This is what BP will have to answer to.
LRCblogger thanks for your comments. Yes we are limited, we have the booms which lose their effectiveness in heavy seas, which the Gulf is experiencing. They have tried burning the oil off the ocean and chemical breakdown. Much of this is trial by error I suspect.
Neillieanna I agree in the classification - this is from human error and history has shown they can do this safely. This is what worries me what happened here, BP has a history of safety issues. Was this coincidence. We use oil in everything, plastics, chemicals, fuel, even foods! You are right there is an insatiable demand for it and other resources with out a thought to risks or costs. I don't have a problem with drilling for oil, drilling safely and prepare the environment before hand if there is any risk of disaster. Which of course there always is some percentage.
Entertainmentplus thanks for your comments it is very sad for all those concerned - it will be hard to stop the oil damaging the wetlands, hopefully we can mitigate the damage. A good start would be plug the leaking well!
Dave you are right and as long as man is involved greed will rear it;s angry head. Look at the financial news of the past week, downgrades from reckless spending, Goldman enquiries etc etc Is there any wonder one money is the God to so many that nature or planet Earth is secondary. Now if you could slap a credit rating on it....
theherbivorehippi II am with you - it took me a while to actually get pen to paper so to speak. The more I researched it the more I got pee'd off and found what OWCN as a positive way to tell the story - positive in that there are people out there on the case of the wildlife and rescue. Positive on just what went wrong and who it affects. It is hard in so many ways. the human lives lost, a region that has been through so much with the hurricanes and the innocent victims - the wildlife being threatened. It seems to me that a company or government ignored simple safety or tried to cut costs and took the risk. If so now everyone and everything is paying - a disgrace.
Pollyannalana I think you nailed it - we just don't know and it seems we just don't care as a whole. With this never ending hate between Democrats and Republicans going on we enable this shoddiness and corruption. Then surprise surprise the public gets up in arms (for a minute or two) when something happens that affects them. Though unless this leads to higher oil prices it won't affect most (in the hip pocket) and they move on and forget. Not the people on the Gulf Coast or the animals on the Gulf Coast they won't forget. Maybe you charge an environmental tax that goes directly to protecting the areas like the Gulf where every other American expects to get oil and gas from? Something must be done to have the masses take responsibility rather than just the constant hot air that achieves nothing.
This is so devastating and so sad. I can't understand why all these big companies that make so much money can be so careless. Blame is always being thrown around when what they need to do is consentrate on preventing anything like this from happening again. Someone certainly needs to take responibility and fix this!
Well put rls8994 - someone does need to take responsibility be it BP, who ever made the part if that is the case. Thinking about it I find it hard to believe they would risk so much for safety which brings me back to something with the part or a lax manager somewhere in the picture.
There will be many lawsuits filed and ultimately many millions of dollars will be paid out in settlements. But sadly that does not replace lost lives nor totally repay people for lost livelihoods nor ever totally correct damage done to the environment.
That being said, I surely hope that they discover the cause for this disaster and can hopefully prevent like occurances in the future. We DO need to develop our own resources...but safely.
Well said Peggy - yes I read estimates of 4 billion plus but money isn't the cure all to all man's ills. I agree with your sentiments Peggy.
Uhh...
A great hub, Billy..but almost 5 billion in cleanup would really not bring back what has already been lost.
Thank you!
Thanks Melinda yes - sadly somethings can never be replace. Some say it is the price of progress, how is this progress?
Nice hub. It is a shame with all the marine and wild life being destroyed from this. Can't bring that back.
Thank you for sharing this information. In the UK, we are overwhelmed with news of our own Elections at present and stories like this which should have more prominence have taken a back seat - thank you for presenting a fuller picture. How sad though that it has happened and I hope that Obama WILL make BP pay the full cost - and that is not just the cleanup right now, the effects will be felt for years, I believe.
No that is the sad thing Sandy - lets just hope they are limited losses. One thing about the marine life in that region is they are resilient though = though nature is a lot different to oilspills.
Thanks for commenting Alison - you must be worn out from all that electioneering over there - at least it is nearly over. Yes no doubt this doesn't get as much coverage with that and I saw air spaces closed over there with thee volcanic ash today too. Obama says he will make BP pay and no doubt they will through insurance and be happy to to stay in the area and Alaska. You are right it takes for ever but the Valdez was cleaned up from Exxon - it took years and from what I hear is back to a vibrant ecosystem.
Hey hi,
This oil spill has really created a havoc for wildlife. Many are affected with this. Thanx for updating us on this.
Also i would love to share a similar Hub with you all http://hubpages.com/hub/BP-Oil-Spill-Creates-Rush-
Thanks for your comments training osha
This is worst thing that has happened in form of BP Oil Spill.
Thanx for raising awareness in this field...
Also check this related Hub which tells about job opportunities in this field.
We are greedy when it comes to oil. I cannot believe that we have positioned ourselves so recklessly. We are now paying far more that the price at the gas pumps. This beautiful area is now scourged and we will be paying the price for many years to come. I hope that all the efforts pay great dividends for the protection of our natural coastline resources. Thanks for a thought provoking hub.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts SteveoMc - a very good point the cost of oil to the individual is much more than what you pump into your car - we choose to conveniently forget that. Let us hope that the area is protected and the best possible outcome for the environment in these horrible circumstances comes through. Lets also hope we don't forget with our 5 minute collective memories what happened here.
Very informative hub. It's so sad to see such destruction as a result of greed.
Hi Kay thanks for dropping in - yes in the name of greed, political opportunism and consumerism - oh and public apathy (I think that covers it)
We are about to take another economic blow and oh well Mississippi will just have to suck it up, literally...just like all the other recent disasters we have endured. It saddens me that some of our fondest memories were made on the gulf coast.
Tammy it is terribly sad and I see now oil is hitting the marshes - not globules full sheets of oil - this is the worst disaster in US history and it is devastating to the gulf coast and Mississippi continues to be battered - sad indeed.
billyaustindillon, this is so sad to me, being an animal lover. I hate to think of the animals being hurt by this, and wish I could protect them all. The whole thing is so upsetting. Thanks for keeping us informed. (: v
Valerie it is terribly sad and one only shudders given the sensitive ecosystem of the marshes what damages there are. One can only hope that adaptation saves many of those that are in areas that the oil can't be stopped first.
Well written and informative hub. This is a reason for alternative energy vehicles. I feel more people are looking for and driving them. As a outdoors lover I hate to see the mess oil is causing.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for your comments Jenn. Yes vehicles help but it is our reliance across the board on oil products like plastics and chemicals that also weigh in our society. When everything is about being as cheap as possible and the pressure put on companies to deliver profits in a nation of irresponsibility it is a double edged sword.
As the crisis dragged on I have been saddened by the damage to our coast and wildlife and mad at the failures that led to the spill however I have been increasingly dismayed at the self serving politicians who rely on lobbyists and high stock market prices to fund their bailouts to go on as they do. High time we had leadership that actually were not just hypocrites and took responsibility. The public too - where are they on this - anyway those aspects got me going as we just know everyone is going to absolve themselves from blame and yet really we all are in some way. The real losers is the marine life and the coastal ecosystem, very sad.
Thank you for a very nice well written hub on the oil problem in the gulf. Sure hope they solve the problems. It is always a slow process when these things happen. God Bless You.
Thanks for your feedback stars439. Hopefully the leak will be stopped here and we begin the long arduous clean up of the region.
This is just a perfect testament to what oil companies should NOT be doing, a fuel we should move away from using, and its just absolutely disgusting that wildlife and nature are suffering and perishing! This type of drilling should not be allowed, strictly based on the fact that if this happens, THIS HAPPENS! If they do not have the means to remedy potential problems, then the methods in question should be out of the question. I am highly disturbed about this, every passing minute of spilling oil. There is not a monetary value you can put on this disaster, hence it should not have had the chance to happen in the first place! There must be better legislation put in place or else 2012 WILL be the end!
Mycha99 thanks for your feedback - you are right there is no monetary value. The damage from this is so great on so many levels. I think that is half the problem in our society we do put a monetary value on everything - nothing is scared.
It is also too bad that President seems to be blaming BP for not planning when it is the government's job to assure that industry has planned for a worst-case scenario.
Mary yes you are right - it is a disgrace - all these heavily funded organization like EPA and something this necessary - particularly to the US after exxon and the previous mexican spill from 1979 - it is not like there was no history there. Makes you wonder were the money go. I think you will be waiting for a long time for the president to truly declare responsibility - I know he made statements along those lines a week ago but what has happened since?
As a country we need to adopt mature attitudes about what we expect from our government. For far to long the false choice of support for either government or business has been presented. The truth is we need strength in both sectors because the focus of each is different and yet both are need to meet the needs of the population. We better get smarter about what we wish the relationship to be and more importantly define our expectations of both.
Isthatright? thanks for your comments. Yes we certainly do need to move away from the adversarial relationship between government and corporation as far as developing a plan. It seems the system either is about lobbying with no oversight or full on adversarial activities - that doesn't help anyone. the failings of the EPA is a good example of what doesn't work I think we have seen.
As an Englishman I am completely embarrassed with the way BP (British Petroleum) is conducting itself in the Gulf...
SHAME on you BP it makes you sad to be English!!
Is there no end to our lust for oil?
hutchy-rants thanks for your comemnts. I would say it isn't all BP's fault. Transocean in particular have some responsibilty here. Read my hub on Norway deep sea drilling and you can see it should be shared - including the EPA US Fed governemnt etc. BP at least are doing all they can to clean it up. However there were many ways this could have been prevented we are seeing and the response from the Government faster for example. When will they stop their first for oil? Probably never given everything is about plastics, cars, planes etc etc Plus it is just too convenient to blame the big bad oil companies when this stuff happens - absolves of guilt I guess - sad but true.
They do it for the money, the government lets them do it for the money. America in whole just went through 100 years of industrialization with big money controlling the whole situation. Now as a result, America has become the TOXIC nation where people are suffering from cancers, heart problems, birth defects, mental health issues, etc. Air quality is gone, water quality is gone, pretty soon life will be gone. Our countries slogan should be, let us in and we will contaminate and make money until there is nothing left.
Thank you for your hub, very informative and eye opening.
Thanks for your feedback Artin2010. It is hard to argue with any of that. :(
Nick people are doing a pretty good job!
Planetresource.net has a Eco friendly solution to clean up the tragedy British Petroleum has created, please watch the video animation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60bdQQQ3iVw and pass this along to as many people as you know.
One person can still make a difference in this world, is that simple interactions have a rippling effect. Each time this gets pass along, the hope in cleaning our planet is passed on.
Excellent information and maps and photos. Now I feel informed. And your comment about 60 California oil spills -- that was a surprise.
Pamela thanks for your comments. Yes with California - we all think of the huge Santa Barbara spill but there have been umpteen smaller ones that don't rate a mention according to environmentalists. Like everything people only remember the big ones. It won't be exxon valdez in years to come but Horizon deepwater that will be the reference point. A sad way to remembered.
Great photos, charts and maps. As a lover of marine life, this oil "spill" absolutely makes me sick. I could barely stand to watch the news clips of birds drowning in this "black death". The coastal ecosystem and marinelife have taken a beating and I wonder how long, if ever, it will take for recovery? Thank you Billy.
VocalCoach thanks for your feedback. YEs it is so sad I have lived much of life near the ocean and it is just devastating to see it all. I hope and pray the ecosystems can rebuild that aren't totally decimated but I fear the worst. It has been remarkable the recovery in Alaska so there is great hope.
Another great hub on this vary important subject, keep up the good work. :)
Wren thanks for your feedback - lets hope this story turns for the better really soon.
You have some strategic methods for coping with the oil spill. The Jeruslem Post reported last week that wildlife rescuers and cleanup crews along the shore where sparse. Part of me wishes I was back in the States so I could effect some change somehow. Great hub, keep up the good work.
Leslie thanks for your comments. You must be having a very interesting time in Jerusalem at the moment. Lets hope that things do change soon for the better for the wildlife in the Gulf.
Great article. It is really sad that wildlife is put at risk because of human error. Hopefully things will get better.
Magickal thanks for your comments - another example of man being animals worse predator - even when we don't mean to be.
Thank you for the information hub, I hope more will be done to help protect our ocean's wildlife.
Also, thank you for stopping by my hubs.
Great Hub billy! It is wonderful to see the concern that exists for the marine life and birds and the great efforts of the people forming the wildlife rescue teams. I am linking to my hub "Kevin Costner's Oil Spill Solution".
Thanks for sharing such great information.
PaperNotes thanks for your comments - lets hope something is done for their rescue - the damage is going to be severe here is the well still pours out.
Green tea-cher. Thanks for the link to kevin Costner's solution. It is wonderful that there are people that do such a wonderful job with wildlife rescue. They are amazing really.
------They just dont get it. Still no mention at all,pro or con,of the flange/bolts on all the news. Some of the bloggers that do are top engineers within the industry.------
The oil leak can be TOTALLY controlled in half a week. Replacing the flange atop the BOP with a riser is absolutely possible,even in that blast. A pre-assembled guide---four 40 ft pcs drill pipe--- with a five ft diameter band connecting the top ends, and solidly mounted on the BOP flange below,will steer the new riser perfectly, over the drill pipe stub and down, with 2 tapered pins on the new flange, precisely aligning it for bolting. A manifold with 4 lines to the surface completes it,redundantly accomplishing more than the present cap, only with positively NO leaking at all, and no sea water to "freeze". After working the giant shear, these tasks,including clamping before unbolting, and trimming projections on the flange,etc. are comparatively simple for the robot operators. Please hurry.
Robert thank you for your comments and input about the BOP flanges. I did read somewhere that the reason they didn't was because there is a concern that there is a fracture in the pipe below the sea bed and the pressure would force it lower and be much worse. However it may be the quietness is merely not to get people's hopes up. If it is a down hole than this would be a worse case scenario. It is bewildering how long it has gone on and that sounds like the worse case. Lets hope that there is something before the relief wells are completed.
great hub on such a sad situation
Stacie thanks for your feedback
As a teacher of young children I have been trying to educate them about becoming more aware and knowledgeable of what is happening in the world and trying to impress how much it affects them and their future. The thing that has really disturbed me as of late is that I am hearing that our president turned down help from 12 other countries. Please someone explain this to me. I am appalled.
Trimar7 the more that comes out about this the more unsettling it is and explains why the President has behaved so aggressively towards BP and so late in the peace. It has come out that the administration knocks back BP's initial containment plans, they stalled at getting equipment there and that they have knocked back other companies and nations help. Now if I was a conspiracy theorist and wanted to push an agenda to get a cap and trading bill through what would I do? Scary isn't it.
The thing is we will never know the truth and all these ecosystems and animals lives are lost.
What a well put together hub. You put some serious time into this one. Thanks for sharing your knowlege on the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill.
Jay thanks for your comments - the Marine wildlife rescue teams have done a terrific job - they actually d things rather than just talk about tit like the politicians.
This is very comprehensive. I am sure living near the ocean brings this reality home every day. How did the other Gulf oil spill resolve- the one down in Mexico in 1979? At the time, it was huge. Are they using information from that to predict what might happen with this one?
Ixtoc also occurred in the Gulf of Mexico and was much larger, it leaked a record 140 million gallons of oil. however wind and currents managed to contain the damage as it was on the other side of the Gulf and not right near sensitive coastlines. Though massive slicks hit the northern Mexican Gulf coast and Texas covering almost 170 miles (275 kilometers) of U.S. beaches.
This from the Brownsville Herald:
The good news is the Ixtoc experience suggests the Gulf of Mexico has natural properties that help it cope with massive oil spills, scientists say. Warm waters and sunlight helped break down the oil faster than many expected. Weathering reduced much of the oil into tar balls by the time it reached Texas.
Two decades after the Ixtoc disaster, marine biologist Wes Tunnell sank his diving knife into an area where he had spotted a tar patch just after the spill. The blade came out black and tarry but the hardened surface of the patch was under sand, shells and algae that had completely covered it.
"No one else would know that it was anything other than a rock ledge," said Tunnell of Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University. "I think that the Gulf of Mexico is hugely resilient, or at least it was 30 years ago. We've insulted it a lot since then in various ways."
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Dear billy : I wonder if they ever truly cleaned the water out there . God Bless You Precious heart.
Stars the environmental damage was so great that the water though cleaner is a long way to what it was pre spill.
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Antiaging cream, elastin and collagen replenishment with extreme weather conditions make antioxidant creams one of the top health and beauty presents for women in 2011. Stress and free radicals continues to damage ladies skin. Antioxidant face creams are used to treat acne, sun damage and anti aging. Antioxidants are of one of the natural skin treatments shown to actually reduce the signs of aging. The antioxidants protect and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin beneath the skin. - 15 months ago
ethel smith Level 3 Commenter 2 years ago
its so sad. These happen from time to time and are always devastating. More needs to be done about preventing such disasters. It would be economic in the long run