Update on the Static Kill…what’s the issue with the relief wells? ie…Who’s in Charge?

From the Times-Picayune: BP embarked Tuesday on an operation that could seal the biggest offshore oil leak in U.S. history once and for all, forcing mud down the throat of its blown-out well in a tactic known variously as “bullheading” or a “static kill.” The pressure in the well dropped quickly in the first 90 minutes of the procedure, a sign that everything was going … Continue reading Update on the Static Kill…what’s the issue with the relief wells? ie…Who’s in Charge?

Mental Health on the Gulf Coast…the numbers keep coming…

A new survey, conducted between July 19th and 25th by the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia found what most have suspected, confirming the results of the Ochsner survey released last week… people in the Gulf Coast are feeling it. When your livelihoods, culture and earning potentials are taken away or reduced…when your overall quality of life is severely impacted to the point of survival…anxiety … Continue reading Mental Health on the Gulf Coast…the numbers keep coming…

Oil discovered under the barrier island’s sand – Plaquemines Parish

Today in Plaquemines Parish, WVUE correspondent John Snell and Parish Coastal Zone Director, PJ Hahn accidentally struck it rich. After the initial disappointment in finding no oil on the water’s surface, PJ and the crew were stepping across the barrier island, when one of the crew stepped in the right place and oil began bubbling up through the sand by way of a hermit crab … Continue reading Oil discovered under the barrier island’s sand – Plaquemines Parish

Wanna know a secret? Shhh…there’s still a ton of oil in the Gulf of Mexico

A funny thing has happened in the Gulf of Mexico these past couple weeks…that oil spill? It’s over, the oil spill is more or less over, all taken care of so you can switch the channel now. The fisherman will be back at work soon, the oil isn’t in the marshes, it’s not on the beaches and it certainly isn’t flowing out of the Macondo … Continue reading Wanna know a secret? Shhh…there’s still a ton of oil in the Gulf of Mexico

We Got a Flow Rate…5,000,000 Barrels…We’re #1!

So a federal scientific panel now has an accurate estimate of the amount of oil British Petroleum has unleashed into the Gulf of Mexico…After months of competing estimates, typically pitting independent scientists against British Petroleum and the Coast Guard, the number is 5,000,000 barrels of oil. 5,000,000, at a recent flow rate of 53,000 barrels per day before the well was capped and an estimate … Continue reading We Got a Flow Rate…5,000,000 Barrels…We’re #1!

A Few Notes on the Static Kill…some benefits, a few risks, a series of half-truths

According to the Washington Post, the static kill could begin as early as Monday night, part of a two pronged plan to seal the Macondo well for good. The idea is to pump mud into the capped well, very slowly and push the oil all the way back down to its source rock, 2.5 miles below the seafloor. However, “the static kill is not the … Continue reading A Few Notes on the Static Kill…some benefits, a few risks, a series of half-truths

BP executive “Absolutely would not eat” Gulf seafood.

BP’s Chief Operating Officer said today, when asked about charges seafood from the Gulf of Mexico isn’t safe, “I absolutely would not eat food from the Gulf. I understand the EPA says it is safe, but sincerely, this is America, who the hell trusts the EPA in America anymore, especially after 9-11…what? My family? If I’m not going to eat this toxic garbage I certainly … Continue reading BP executive “Absolutely would not eat” Gulf seafood.

Headlines – Gulf Coast and Beyond…

Thank God for the Whistle-Blowers – Robert Scheer – Truthdig Bated breath in Gulf ahead of oil well ‘kill’ operation – AFP UC Berkeley’s BP Deal Tainted By Oil Spill: $500 Million Research Agreement At Stake – HuffingtonPost BP ‘carpet bombed’ Gulf with chemical dispersants, says congressman – Al.com BP scaling Back Cleanup Efforts After Pretending Oil is Disappearing in the Gulf – Video Cafe … Continue reading Headlines – Gulf Coast and Beyond…

Thad Allen rejects accusations that too many chemicals were used…

So the article in the Austin Statesman begins: The government’s point man on the Gulf oil spill is rejecting assertions that federal officials allowed BP too much leeway to use chemical dispersants. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said Sunday that federal regulators did not ignore environmental guidelines. He says some field commanders had authority to allow more dispersants to be used on a case-by-case … Continue reading Thad Allen rejects accusations that too many chemicals were used…