BP……WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?DeepWater Horizon Oil Spill

TimelineDeepwater Horizon

floating rig exploratory drilling 50 miles southeast of Venicewater nearly 1 mile deep only 40-50 rigs in Gulf drilling this deep

April 20, 2010 – explosion – methane gasApril 22, 2010 – rig topples, oil begins to leak

from well in sea floorBlow-out preventer failedThree leaks, one has been sealed

Current situationAs of ???????????? gallons of oil have been

released into the gulf. Exxon Valdez in 1989 was 11 million gallons

Attempted to place large “funnel” over leak on Saturday 5/8 Gas-water crystals clogged

Mitigation: booms, skimming, burning, dispersants (bad weather disrupts)

Oil started showing up on shore over the weekend

What next for BP?As of July 15 the leak has been capped. Future ???????? $$$$$$

BIODEGRADATION OF OIL BY

BACTERIA

BACTERIA AND MICROBES ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY CLEAN UP (NOT JUST MOVE AROUND) THE ONGOING OIL SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

There are billions of hydrocarbon chewing microbes

BACTERIA ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN SURFACTANT ( reduces surface tension)

DispersantsSeparates the oil into smaller droplets

Dispersed throughout the water columnPrevent surface slick – affects beaches,

marshes, animals – immediate damageDoes not destroy or eliminate oil – dilutes and

alters until natural degradation Where does it go? – complex currents, water

vs sedimentWhat does it do? – food chain, toxicity