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

Timeline Deepwater Horizon floating rig exploratory drilling 50 miles southeast of Venice water nearly 1 mile deep only rigs in Gulf drilling this deep April 20, 2010 – explosion – methane gas April 22, 2010 – rig topples, oil begins to leak from well in sea floor Blow-out preventer failed Three leaks, one has been sealed

Current situation As 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)

Dispersants Separates the oil into smaller droplets Dispersed throughout the water column Prevent surface slick – affects beaches, marshes, animals – immediate damage Does not destroy or eliminate oil – dilutes and alters until natural degradation Where does it go? – complex currents, water vs sediment What does it do? – food chain, toxicity