BP Oil Spill Approaching Gulf Coast

[mysticrose]

An oil slick on the outer edge of the protective barrier formed by the Chandeleur Islands on May 7.

A Greenpeace activist trudges through oil on a beach near Venice, Louisiana, on May 20.

Oil floats on the water in the marsh in Pass a Loutre, Louisiana, on May 19.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/30/louisiana-oil-spill-2010_n_558287.html

 

[daisy7]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/25/smallbusiness/bp_parody_products/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin

 

[mysticrose]

BP nears decision on 'top kill' procedure By the CNN Wire Staff
May 26, 2010 9:30 a.m. EDT

Venice, Louisiana (CNN) -- BP's top official said the oil company will make a decision later Wednesday on whether to proceed with a "top kill" procedure designed to contain oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.

BP Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward told CNN that a determination will be made after testing is complete.

"So far, it's looking OK," he said. "But we haven't got all the data we need."

Top kill has worked successfully on above-ground oil wells in the Middle East but has never been tested 5,000 feet underwater.

Hayward has given the "top kill" maneuver a 60 percent to 70 percent chance of success.


From angry residents of the Gulf Coast to frustrated lawmakers in Washington, many pinned hopes that with the top kill, BP finally would be able to stop the oil leak. Otherwise, they said, it was time for the government to take charge.

"If the thing is not fixed today, the president doesn't have a choice, and he better go in and completely take over, perhaps with the military in charge," said Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida.

Grand Isle, Louisiana, Mayor David Camardelle said patience was wearing thin.

"I want the president to step in and make things happen," he said. "We've been frustrated for the last 37 days, and we're trying to get things moving the right way and our people can't wait."

President Obama is planning to visit the Gulf Coast on Friday to review oil response efforts

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/26/gulf.oil.spil/?hpt=Sbin

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Oh mysticrose thank you for posting those photos.....but Lord are they heartbreaking.....

 

[pufnstuf]

Live feed from BP's website.

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_int...local_assets/bp_homepage/html/rov_stream.html

 

[karma-girl]

This morning CNN was airing scientists out on the gulf collecting data/specimens, while interviewing them there was a shark on the top of the water aprox. 30 ft away from the boat thrashing around...the scientist indicated the shark was in severe distress! Please forgive me, while I indeed feel horrible for all the ppl that this tragedy has affected, my heart and prayers lie with the innocent marine animals!!!

 

[karma-girl]

Ok, I just need to say this and then I am done...there are so many jokes from late night hosts and skits on YT casting stones towards BP in a light-hearted manner...am I the only one who finds nothing amusing about this? Am I turning into an old prude? These jokes infuriate me as I find nothing about this to laugh at!!!! Ok, going out for a walk to destress myself and maybe scream a bit!!!

 

[MCDRAW]

Ok, I just need to say this and then I am done...there are so many jokes from late night hosts and skits on YT casting stones towards BP in a light-hearted manner...am I the only one who finds nothing amusing about this? Am I turning into an old prude? These jokes infuriate me as I find nothing about this to laugh at!!!! Ok, going out for a walk to destress myself and maybe scream a bit!!!

They wouldn't be finding it funny if their livliehood was a stake.

 

[hockeymom]

I find nothing amusing about this situation at all!

 

[fran]

I don't recall. Did they make jokes about the Katrina disaster?

Perhaps IF any of these comedians who are making these tasteless jokes would appreciate IF they're ever hospitalized or in an accident, the comedians made fun of them. :banghead:

This is tooooo much!

My heart goes out to all those effected by this horrible disaster.

JMHO
fran
:rose:

 

[Show Me]

I think it's MSNBC reporting a 22 mile plume of oil was headed towards the Mobile Bay, Alabama area.

I feel like I'm going to be sick...first Louisiana, then Mississippi and Alabama and Florida and possibly the Atlantic coast contaiminated.

And the fishermen who can no longer fish in the Louisiana are are getting sick trying to make some money to feed their families cleaning up the oil thats destroying their fishing grounds.

 

[mysticrose]

The Great Oil Spill


New estimates indicate the true severity of the British Petroleum leak in the Gulf of Mexico, which has amounted to the worst oil spill in U.S. history. Mark Strassmann reports from Venice, La.


http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6525372n&tag=related;photovideo

 

[mysticrose]

COVINGTON, La., May 27, 2010
BP Halted "Top Kill" Overnight, Resuming Later
Risky Procedure Stopped Late Wednesday Night; BP Official Says 24 More Hours Needed to Monitor

BP suspended its attempt to choke off the gusher at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico around midnight Thursday, hours after beginning the risky procedure Wednesday afternoon.

Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf

BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles announced the stoppage during a Thursday evening news conference. He said the early morning halting was so crews could monitor their work and bring in more drilling mud.

The procedure called a "top kill" was expected to resume Thursday night, but it could be late Friday or the weekend before the company knows if it has cut off the oil that has been flowing for five weeks.

Live Shot of Gushing Underwater Leak

The company acknowledged drilling mud was escaping from a broken pipe along with the leaking crude.

"The fact that we had a bunch of mud going up the riser isn't ideal but it's not necessarily indicative of a problem," said spokesman Tom Mueller.

News that it would be at least 24 more hours before officials know if the procedure will work came as dire new government estimates showed the disaster has easily eclipsed the Exxon Valdez as the biggest oil spill in U.S. history.

BP started shooting heavy drilling mud into the blown-out well 5,000 feet underwater on Wednesday afternoon, then stopped later that night to monitor the work and bring in 630,000 more gallons of mud, said Suttles, who insisted nothing had gone wrong.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/27/business/main6525127.shtml?tag=topnews

 

[mysticrose]

BP resumes pumping mud into well to stop oil

ROBERT, La. (AP) - BP says it has resumed pumping heavy drilling mud into a gushing well in the Gulf of Mexico in a bid to stop the flow of oil.

The operation, known as a "top kill," is considered the best chance to halt the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

BP began pumping mud into the well on Wednesday afternoon but stopped late Wednesday night to assess how the effort was working and to bring in more materials. Pumping resumed Thursday evening.

The company also may shoot material into a crippled piece of equipment atop the well to keep the mud from escaping.

http://www.wxvt.com/Global/story.asp?S=12557588

 

[mysticrose]

BP's Top Two Officials On Rig Are No-Shows At Crucial Hearing
Huffington Post | Marcus Baram First Posted: 05-27-10 08:08 PM | Updated: 05-27-10 08:08 PM


Some of the most-anticipated witnesses at key oil spill hearings -- including BP's top official on the Deepwater Horizon who was involved in an argument with other rig workers over a crucial procedure just hours before the explosion -- have been no-shows.

Donald Vidrine, BP's "company man," overruled the rig's chief mechanic and driller and pushed to speed up the process by remove the drilling mud faster to save BP money on the day of the tragic explosion, according to testimony from rig owner Transocean's Doug Brown on Wednesday.

"Well, this is how it's gonna be," Vidrine allegedly said when confronted by the other workers, according to Brown's testimony, reports the Houston Chronicle.

Vidrine did not testify as scheduled on Wednesday, citing an unspecified medical condition. The other top BP official on the rig, Robert Kaluza, also declined to testify, invoking his 5th Amendment right not to incriminate himself. And a third witness, James Mansfield, Transocean's assistant marine engineer on the Deepwater Horizon, also called in sick, the Coast Guard said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/27/bps-top-two-officials-on_n_592690.html

 

[mysticrose]

Sorry I just had to post this," Drill baby Drill " Flashback;

[video=youtube;g6MOzmiY9iQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6MOzmiY9iQ&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[Woe.be.gone]

This situation is giving me anxiety attacks. My heart goes out to all the people who are directly affected by this terrible incident.

It's hard for me to believe that there isn't a solid emergency action plan/procedure in place for if/when something like this happens. It's unthinkable but obviously true.

What gross negligence of nature and our land. Pray God they can stop the oil flow soon.

 

[mysticrose]

Head of US Agency that Regulates Offshore Drilling Resigns
VOA News 27 May 2010


The head of the U.S. agency that regulates offshore drilling has resigned as the Obama administration attempts to address the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico more aggressively.

The departure of U.S. Minerals Management Service Director Elizabeth Birnbaum was announced Thursday by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar during a Congressional hearing.

The mineral management service became embroiled in controversy earlier this month when a report was made public showing agency employees accepted meals, tickets to sports events and other gifts from oil companies.

Among the charges detailed in the report, one worker with the agency's Louisiana office admitted to using crystal methamphetamine, and may have been under the influence of the illegal drug while at work.

Interior Secretary Salazar called the report "deeply disturbing," and said some implicated workers have resigned, been fired or were referred for prosecution.

The investigation covers a period before Secretary Salazar took office. He ordered the inspector general to expand the inquiry to see if any violations occurred after the Interior Department issued new ethics rules in 2009.

http://www1.voanews.com/english/new...ates-Off-Shore-Drilling-Resigns-95031969.html

 

[legalmania]

Sorry I just had to post this," Drill baby Drill " Flashback;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6MOzmiY9iQ&feature=player_embedded

I would like the citizens of Louisiana to send Ms. Palin some seafood from the gulf and see if she eats it. I am glad to see people are posting again, I was starting to think I was the only one on this thread who cared. Also this is now the biggest oil disaster ever, surpassing the Exxon Valdez. With hurricane season right around the corner, I wonder what will happen if there is a hurricane?

 

[mysticrose]

I would like the citizens of Louisiana to send Ms. Palin some seafood from the gulf and see if she eats it. I am glad to see people are posting again, I was starting to think I was the only one on this thread who cared. Also this is now the biggest oil disaster ever, surpassing the Exxon Valdez. With hurricane season right around the corner, I wonder what will happen if there is a hurricane?

I don't think they are real sure, Here is a snip from this article I found:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Although speculation regarding how a hurricane would interact with the sheen of oil is rampant, it’s not clear what would happen. However, there are high odds that a tropical storm or hurricane will either form in or enter the Gulf during the season, according to NOAA.

“Historically, all above normal seasons have produced at least one named storm in the Gulf of Mexico, and 95 percent of those seasons have at least two named storms in the Gulf,” NOAA stated.

Jeff Masters, chief meteorologist for Weather Underground, a private forecasting company based in Michigan, wrote on May 26 that the oil could boost water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, thereby helping a storm gain strength in that region. He said that beaches already befouled by oil might be cleaned in a storm, but that a hurricane’s broad reach of winds and waves would also spread oil to regions that would not otherwise have been affected by the spill.

“The strong winds and powerful ocean currents that a hurricane's winds drive will bring oil to large stretches of coast that otherwise would not have gotten oil. This is my chief concern regarding a hurricane moving through the Deepwater Horizon oil spill,” Masters wrote.

http://theenergycollective.com/TheEnergyCollective/66828