Thursday, May 27, 2010

OIL DISASTER IN THE GULF UPDATE: Thursday May 27th Day 38


The "Water" in Louisiana Marshlands : This precious ecosystem is where so many creatures make their home , there is no way to survive with water that looks like chocolate pudding.
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"We are all in the same boat in a stormy sea, and we owe each other a terrible loyalty.”~ G. K. Chesterton

Gov. Jindal Boat Tour took a tour on Wednesday with Anderson Cooper,Mary Matlin and James Carville, the disgust on their faces is palpable as they look at the Goo That Gov. Jindal has "Netted". (@GOSEP the Governor's twitter account posted the photos of the tragic tour. Louisiana is now struggling with almost 100 contaminated miles of shoreland.
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Updates Below on Dispersant Issues,Hurricane Issues,Wildlife Issues and BP Problems.
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( NASA photo of Hurricane IKE of 2009)
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As of Thursday Day 38 we know that 29,000 Miles have been contaminated in the Gulf ( as measured by NASA imaging ) and that a 2nd plume has been found moving towards Mobile Bay. The Gusher figures have been revised from the mere 1000 Barrels/day to 5000 barrels a day by BP, NOW Independent Scientists and experts are estimating that the most conservative figure is 12,000 barrels /day. That number changes the scope of this disaster to a starting point of 510,000gallons/day that were spewing for 38 days, that brings the total to over 19 Million gallons. At this point this is the Worst Environmental Disaster that surpasses the Exxon Valdez disaster. ( Please see below as their is a Topkill Update and Post on the latest in attempting to kill the Well.) ( For direct information related to Louisiana do see @GOHSEP on Twitter and read latest update that was sent out yesterday This is the update from the Governor's office and is organized and comprehensive. Officially having Scientists recognize the severity of this Disaster was important after BP had downplayed it for weeks and mislead us about the actual Volume being spewed into the Gulf.
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NOAA released Hurricane Reports and Scientists began Hurricane Preparation related to the Oil Disaster.

(1) NOAA released it's latest reports and predictions related to the Gulf based on warmer temperatures and warmer temperatures in the Gulf Waters, this season is expected to be heavy for storms and hurricanes.With 8 major storms and at least 4-5 Hurricanes of significance. Will the Oil Spill create situation of concern, Scientists are preparing already.
(2) Here is another article on the concerns related to impacts combined with the Oil Spill. Many are already asking will the Oil Load and Dispersant alter the temperature of the Gulf Waters. Some scientists are concerned also based on the 2005 Season which also faced some similar Temperature related problems.
(3) The Guardian has more on this issue of the Hurricanes and Oil Spill impacting each other and and the consequences for the Gulf Coast.
(4) A Weather Website that is a MUST for anyone in Hurricane Country is The Weather Underground and on Twitter they can be found at @wunderground . Yesterday Dr. Jeff Masters weighed in on the issue of Hurricanes in the Gulf with the Oil Disaster,
he does think they will impact each other.
(5) This UPI report has more from Scientists and is worth a read as well.
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Continued Concern for Safety of the Clean Up Workers and Fishermen
Seven Workers were Hospitalized on Wed Evening for a variety of Complaints.
Seven Clean Up Workers were hospitalized on Wed. Eve, for complaints of dizziness, headaches, nausea and chest pain. The Coast Guard removed them and brought them to shore, some were Airmedi-vaced others brought by boat. As a precaution the Coast Guard did also bring in the entire Breton Fleet of 153 vessels. It is unclear if they were in a region that had been sprayed with Dispersant, or was merely oil impacted. OSHA is monitoring the Clean Up workers safety, but it is unclear what they are doing as they have not been present at any Press Conferences that I have seen ( But that might be a media problem, or I missed their announcement). OSHA has issued OIL Precautions , but nothing has been issued as a warning or precautions working near the Dispersant.

Jason Leopold wrote a post earlier in the month about BP's own Track Record with OSHA that is bleak and littered with Violations, and creates new worries regarding the brave fisherman and shrimpers that are trying to clean up the Gulf under BP's "employ".

I blogged earlier this month with concerns about the Dispersant ( COREXIT) that has never been used in such large quantities near marine life or working people.

This is the actual OSHA factsheet that is being used to educate people about the Oil Fumes but as far as I know OSHA does not have a Dispersant Fact sheet.Another concern is about the actual mixture of the Oil with the Dispersant and does it have effects on those working in close proximity.

EPA had ordered that BP not use the Dispersant any longer,but BP has kept on using the toxic dispersant even though there are cheaper, less toxic solutions that could be used. (here is another article about the risks of kidney, liver, respiratory damage that is risk of the COREXIT which is also severely toxic to marine life. It is also unclear if the Clean up workers were being checked for both Dispersant and Oil related ailments. As of 5:30PM conference there was NO EPA or OSHA present, but Mr.Suttles was trying to blame their health issues on the "HEAT".

LATimes had good article about the sickened workers and also pointed out Dispersant concerns, as well as pointed out that the Coast Guard must have had similar concerns for bringing in entire fleet of boats.

Previous post regarding the harmful toxic issues related to COEXIT even siting EPA own factsheets, which to date have still NOT been shared with OSHA.But explains all about heavy metals, cyanide,and more.
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Wildlife Updates
As of Day 38 There have been reported : 417 Dead Birds, 212 Turtles, 24 Dolphins. ( Necropsy's pending, and we are not certain if they are being tested for only oil toxins or also Dispersant Toxins: Heavy Metals,Cyanide, and kerosene byproducts.It is also unclear if BP is reporting all numbers, why Federal Fish and Wildlife are not giving us reports and numbers is also concerning. All injured and dead creatures are to be reported to BP, yet there are trust issues. There are groups that can be followed online and on Twitter that are trying to track the data : Sierra Club, NWF, and IRBBC and even Dawn Dish Soap.Another issue is who is testing the Dead fish that have been found on the Beaches of some of the Barrier Islands. ( reported in earlier posts). There are also 15 parks and wildlife refuges that are also vulnerable and at risk due to the Oil Spill, which also brings up concerns about the Recovery and release of the oiled survivors.

(1) DawnDishSoap Link is full of information about the animals and their recovery and also about which animals are at risk and being cared for. ( And for every bottle you buy $1 goes to helping birds effected by this disaster.)

(2) There has been a discovery of undersea plume off Florida Panhandle. It is important to remember even the marine life is suffering, even though it may not been seen, whether it be from deep sea fish at their spawning grounds or pelicans at their nesting grounds, the effects are huge.
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BP History of Problems......Their Hands are not clean ....
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(1) As reported in the NYT BP used a much riskier method to attempt to seal the well. before the Blast happened that fateful April Night.

(3) BP's Criminal Past: Those who have investigated BP in the past see a familiar pattern... of problems and issues that could also foreshadow this very disaster. ( Click the Link here to see the CBS eveNews Story.)

(4) 2 Refineries in the Gulf closed down due to Safety Issues, and raising more possibilities of more needed inspections.
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TOPKILL UPDATES::::
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(1) Oil Drum was updated in the eve regarding further attempts to close the well with the added "Junk Shot" ( ATop Kill Stage II)

(2) CNN at 7:45 PM aired another Conference with Suttles and he announced Next Phase of TOPKILL was to start and attempt to stop Oil flow at the well. ( It sounded like Junk shot was to be tried, unclear if Muds were done , or why muds were halted. Or what we had been watching on CAM since MN ?

(3) This Science journal had a revised update of the New Stage of the Topkill and what was planned for the night, as of 5:30PM the summary we heard left us wondering what was next, then at 7:45 PM Suttles announced the next phase.
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Please see post below for full update on the first 27 Hours of the Topkill and how situation was handled.Friday more updates will be posted when we learn more. The President is due to go to the Gulf in the afternoon.

2 comments:

enigma4ever said...

8 AM..
last we heard at 7:45PM the Junk shot was to be tried....during the night. as of 6:30-8AM-nothing has been reported and no updates on CNN from BP....

I have given up looking at cams as they appear ? looped?

Kittie Howard said...

What really irks me is that the Gulf Coast governors didn't have a contingency plan for an oil spill/disaster. How could a governor in that area, and especially a Louisiana governor, not plan for the worse? I have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen...God forbid there's a fire, but I can't live in denial that it can't happen. Why didn't Jindal and other governors get oil companies to pre-position booms and other essentials?? This lack of thinking ahead makes no sense to me. Which begs the question, What do they do at these governors' conferences anyway?? I think BP is guilty of criminal negligence but I'm also a Louisianian who thinks elected officials shouldn't have crawfish brains!