Gulf Spill Updates - Some Good News and Some Bad News.

Scientists Think Oil Has Entered Loop Current And Poses Grave Threat To Reefs


From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/:

On Sunday, researchers said computer models show oil has already entered the loop current that could carry the toxic goo toward the Keys, the third-longest barrier reef in the world. Reefs are made up of living creatures that excrete a hard calcium carbonate exoskeleton.

The loop current could carry oil from the spill east and spread it about 450 miles to the Florida Keys, while the Louisiana coastal current could move the oil as far west as central Texas.

Delicate coral reefs already have been tainted by plumes of crude oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, including a sensitive area that federal officials had tried to protect from drilling and other dangers.

And marine scientists are worried even more of the deep-sea reefs could be damaged as the thick goo creeps into two powerful Gulf currents. The oil has seeped into areas that are essential to underwater life, and the reefs tend to be an indicator for sea health: when creatures in the reefs thrive, so do other marine life.

BP Capturing 1,000 Barrels a Day From Gulf Oil Leak
From http://www.bloomberg.com/:

BP Plc said it is capturing 1,000 barrels of oil a day from a mile-long pipeline connected to its leaking well in the Gulf of Mexico, about a fifth of the estimated flow rate.

“We’ll be ramping this thing up over the next 24 hours,” Doug Suttles, chief operating officer for exploration and production for London-based BP, said on NBC’s “Today” show. “We can actually get 5,000 barrels a day up that pipe if we can capture it and keep the water out,” he said.

BP said yesterday it successfully installed the 4-inch (10.2-centimeter) diameter tube into the pipe, the main source of leaking oil. At least 94,000 barrels (3.9 million gallons) have leaked into the Gulf from a 21-inch pipe severed after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded April 20 and sank two days later, causing the death of 11 crew members.

Shep Smith SCOLDS BP CEO: 'At Least Act Like You Care'.

Fox News anchor (and Mississippi native) Shep Smith ripped the BP CEO over his comments on the Gulf oil spill Friday on his Fox News show.

Mr. Hayward, that Gulf is the source of life for millions upon million of people, and plants, and other creatures on this earth. Jobs are lost, beaches and birds are tarred, fisheries are closed, tourists are canceling, economies are threatened, and people from Florida to Texas are in some cases concerned for their very livelihoods, and you speak of 'comparative volume'?

Mr. Hayward, British Petroleum has caused the proud people of the Gulf Region great pain. If you think your statements on this subject are helping your company's cause -- you are wrong. And if you think the people of the Gulf Region and the rest of America will take lying down without a fight a poorly handled aftermath of what your company has done to our Gulf and our people - you are horribly mistaken.

Our water is now polluted, our coast is now soiled, our fish and our turtles and our shrimp and our oysters are now harmed. Many of our people are now out of a job, and eleven hardworking men and women are dead from the explosion on the rig that carried your company's name. Remember that Mr. Hayward? We do. On your watch, these are extremely difficult times for us litigious Americans. At least act like you care.

Shep Smith has it right.  A human would actually care.  For some CEO we would at least hope you act like you care. The CEO said "he expected many frivolous lawsuits over the spill."


Losing your life's work building and maintaining a business or dedicating yourself to a job supporting your family is frivolous?  The only thing frivolous about the entire situation is the attitude of BP, Transocean and Halliburton toward safety!