Mobile version

When does 'Mostly Gone' actually mean, 'A LOT is still There'?

  

by: jamess

Thu Aug 05, 2010 at 18:44:41 PDT


(2PM EST - promoted by Nightprowlkitty)


The oil has gone? Tell that to Gulf coast residents
By Rupert Cornwell, independent.co.uk -- 6 August 2010
And though only a quarter of the 4.9m barrels reckoned to have leaked is still unaccounted, that represents the equivalent of five Exxon Valdez, the tanker whose spill caused an environmental catastrophe in Alaska in 1989.

"There are still boats out there every day working, finding turtles with oil on them and seeing grass lines with oil in it," charter boat captain Randy Boggs, of Orange Beach in Alabama, told the Associated Press. "All the oil isn't accounted for. There are millions of pounds of tar balls and oil on the bottom."


Turns out, This -- TIMES 5 --

IS mostly STILL There! ... lurking somewhere, just below the surface ...
jamess :: When does 'Mostly Gone' actually mean, 'A LOT is still There'?

Drilling down into the recent Good News/Bad News report ... on the Disaster Tale in the Gulf ... that Tragic Saga that is 'primed to turn a page' ...

Scientists: Most oil gone from Gulf spill
By Steve Gelsi - Market Pulse, MarketWatch.com -- Aug. 4, 2010

A team of scientsts from the federal government said Wednesday that most of the estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil that came from the Deepwater Horizion accident and the ruptured Macondo well has been collected, evaporated or dispersed. The team, led by the Department of the Interior and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said

burning, skimming and direct recovery from the wellhead removed 33% of the oil;

about 25% of the oil evaporated or dissolved,

and 16% was dispersed into microscopic droplets.

33+25+16 = ???

How about a Picture, please?  I hate doing all that math in my head.

OK

How did five million barrels of oil simply disappear?

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs points to a pie chart on the BP oil spill during the Daily White House Press Briefing, Washington, DC.

AFP/ Getty Images


OK there you go -- Only about 26% Residual Oil is left.

"Residual" -- that's like "smoke" -- like the Morning Fog.

That doesn't sound so bad. ... It should be gone in No Time, right?

Don't bet on it.

[continuing from previous MarketWatch link]

The rest of the oil, about 26%, is either on or just below the surface as light sheen and weathered tar balls. "Less oil on the surface does not mean that there isn't oil still in the water column or that our beaches and marshes aren't still at risk," said Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.


And what does that risk of "oil still in the water column or that our beaches and marshes" really mean, to the locals, who must fish those waters, to make their living?

The oil has gone? Tell that to Gulf coast residents
By Rupert Cornwell, independent.co.uk -- 6 August 2010

Harry 'Cho-cho' Cherami, a 59-year-old shrimper from grand Isle, Louisiana who grew up on the deck of his father's shrimp boat, is also skeptical of the good news. "I don't think we've finished with this," he said in Grand Isle, La. "We haven't really started to deal with it yet. We don't know what effect it's going to have on our seafood in the long run."


But Science is Science, right?  ... Facts is Facts.

Well it turns out there are some Science Reports, that are more "authoritative" than others.  And others, read more like a Press Release:

Looking for the oil? US claims it's mostly gone
TodayOnline.com Aug 06, 2010

But the amount of oil left is almost five times the amount spilled by the Exxon Valdez in 1989. And National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator Ms Jane Lubchenco stressed that scientists will not be able to determine for a long time the full extent of the damage. The problem, she explained, is that oil is toxic even when it has been broken down into small droplets.

The author of the report, NOAA scientist Bill Lehr, said the calculations are based on direct measurements of a small fraction of the oil spilled and "educated scientific guesses". That's what worries some outside scientists. "This is a shaky report ... There's some science here, but mostly, it's spin," said Florida State University oceanography professor Ian MacDonald."

I wonder if that is what they mean by getting your Science Report, "peer reviewed"?


5 TIMES the Exxon Valdez spill

IS.STILL.Mostly.There.


How that qualifies as "mostly gone" is beyond me --

I guess that means, it could've been worse.


Well geesh, as with most problems, isn't that usually the case?

It could've been worse ... Let's thank our Lucky Stars!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , (All Tags)
Print Friendly View Send As Email

When does 'Mostly Gone' actually mean, 'A LOT is still There'? | 21 comments
this Scientist is a bit more critical ... (4.00 / 10)

Gulf oil spill: White House accused of spinning report

Scientists say it is 'just not true' that the vast majority of oil from the BP spill has gone

guardian.co.uk, Thursday 5 August 2010

Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent

White House officials had painted far too optimistic a picture of a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) into the fate of the oil.

"Recent reports seem to say that about 75% of the oil is taken care of and that is just not true," said John Kessler, of Texas A&M University, who led a National Science Foundation on-site study of the spill. "The fact is that 50% to 75% of the material that came out of the well is still in the water. It's just in a dissolved or dispersed form."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/envi...


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU
The backlash continues (4.00 / 8)

Scientists call new gulf spill report 'ludicrous'
news.oneindia.in -- August 6, 2010
Washington, Aug 6 (ANI): Scientists have labelled the new U.S. government report that claims it has taken care of the gulf oil spill as 'ludicrous'.

Experts are also warning that majority of the oil is trapped under Gulf beaches and could remain there for years.
[...]
But scientists argue that fluid nature of the ocean means that it's "exceedingly hard" to track oil.

According to National Geographic News, to University of South Florida chemical oceanographer David Hollander, the NOAA estimates are "ludicrous."

"It's almost comical," he said.

Hollander said that while 25 percent can be accounted for (by burning, skimming etc), 75 percent is still unaccounted for.

For instance, the report considers all submerged oil to be dispersed and therefore not harmful, but that's not the case.

[...]
The mixture of oil and chemical dispersants may be suspended and preserved, causing long-term problems for deep-sea animals, said Texas Tech University ecotoxicologist Ron Kendall.


NOAA report on Gulf oil spill draws criticism for many assumptions
Ryan Witt, Political Buzz Examiner -- August 5, 2010

Even with that cautionary note, many experts immediately questioned the findings.  The amount of oil captured is relatively definitive number which can be confirmed, but the amount of oil dispersed, burned or naturally degraded all involves some guesswork.  

The report gave no detail on how officials determined the amount of oil that evaporated or that was dispersed in the Gulf.  The report assumed that underwater plumes of oil simply do not exist, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.  

Time quotes Florida State University oceanography professor Ian MacDonald as saying, "This is a shaky report. The more I read it, the less satisfied I am with the thoroughness of the presentation.  There are sweeping assumptions here."  Even one of the scientists cited in the report said he was uncomfortable with putting definitive percentages on the amount of oil left in the Gulf.




Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

Is this all courtesy of our tax dollars... (4.00 / 6)
that are passed on to the government to the Big Oil companies, which they can use to lean on their corporate media friends to convince us that up is down?

"All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those toward whom it is directed will understand it... Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise." - Adolf Hitler

Aye yup (4.00 / 6)
... in my previous diary I took the list of "independent scientists" and showed how most of them were getting funded by govt. directly or indirectly to test dispersant use.

Fancy that.

Minerals Management started studying dispersant use in the Gulf of Mexico April 9 2010.
Well blew out April 20th.
How convenient.
BPravda.  

[ Parent ]
NRDC and Greenpeace have a few thoughts ... (4.00 / 5)


The Ed Show for Thursday, August 5th, 2010

transcript to the Thursday show:

SCHULTZ: But outside experts say the government numbers, hey, folks, this is fuzzy math at best and even if the oil has dispersed in the water, it's still there.  And still toxic.  It's just too small to see.  The reaction around the world and from the environmental group Greenpeace was scathing.  "This overstates what they know.  There really isn't very much data to support this.  It's somewhere between a wild guess, wishful thinking and spin to make these claims at this point."

Joining me now is David Pettit, he's a senior attorney with the National Resources Defense Council.  Mr. Pettit, good to have you with us tonight.  

[...]
PETTIT:  Well, I think Greenpeace is right.  The quote that you read from Greenpeace is right on the money.  Even if you take the government's numbers at face value, the most that this report shows is that about half the oil that was spilled has gone away.  And the other half is still in the water in one form or another.  And the government report also said you know, the oil that's there, it's rapidly degrading, don't worry, be happy, everything's going to be fine.  That's not true either.  We have no idea where that oil is and what's going to happen to it.  And I think in the best reading, there's still 2.5 million barrels, not gallons but barrels of oil out there waiting to do something, waiting to hit the coast, waiting to kill the sea life that's in the gulf.  
[...]
PETTIT:  [...] one thing you can do is if you're interested in finding out of what the truth is, you can go online and look at the report, this oil budget that the government put out.  And if you read it carefully, what it actually says is I think you mentioned earlier that half of the oil is still in the water and when you look at how they got to those numbers, you'll see there's really nothing in the way of actual measurements.  What they're doing is well, they're relying on older studies, for example, studies of wave action and the like and how that disperses oil.  But here the oil entered the environment 5,000 feet underwater.  It's not like an "Exxon Valdez" where the oil spilled on the surface.  And so, whether those older studies are applicable to what we're looking at now is really anybody's guess and to me that makes all of these numbers unreliable.

 

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/...


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

If you can (4.00 / 5)

help me out
with my latest attempt
to wake up the snoozy masses

Scientists say: The Oil is NOT Gone -- even if our Attention spans are
by jamess -- Fri Aug 06, 2010

thx


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

Jamess (4.00 / 6)
Damn,
I can`t tell you how much I hate being treated like an ignorant schlub.
The way they report it to the masses, is that there`s no argument, the oil is gone, "Poof".

I`m already against the next war.
I know what you mean Knucklehead (4.00 / 4)

But ...

There's No Accounting -- for Spin!

Afterall it's what makes the World Go Round.


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

[ Parent ]
Spin?... (4.00 / 3)
...
makes the World Go Round

    ???
Until it stops it flat in mid rotation with all the air sucked out.

Breathe in emptiness and luminosity.  Breathe out compassion.
[ Parent ]
a cynical reference (4.00 / 3)
 

to Political culture, and our Traditional Media.

And a observation of Physics,

the world does spin.


No great truth, here,
just a quick offhand comment.


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

[ Parent ]
Thank you for this, jamess! (4.00 / 3)
Notice how everything "got all better" immediately after Dudley came in?  Why, there's hardly a trace of oil -- job finished, over, done, let's move on!  Dudley promised a "leaner BP" -- uh hummm!

We are being fed unmitigated BS.  Oil does not evaporate period.  The oil gushed over 100 days and in just a few weeks, it's all gone?  Everything is being done to snow and bamboozle Americans and the world, once again.  I think BP has attempted to "squash" everything, so they can magically get out from under having to spend much more money in any way, shape or form.  It may also be, too, that they're afraid of what scientists WILL come up with -- then who will be responsible for cleaning that up?  Once found, who?  Of course, BP would deny that it was even the Deepwater Horizon's oil and demand proof that it was!

And for anyone doubting the effects of dispersants, here is Dr. Riki Ott, marine biologist and toxicologist:

I would trust Dr. Ott's words -- she has vast knowledge and experience, particularly, with the Exxon-Valez oil spill!

And just to make the whole saga sicker yet, BP has stated that it may come back to drill in the same Gulf area again! Exec hints that . . .

(BTW, posted at DK)


"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."--Aristotle

just like 'Nam (4.00 / 3)
just like they learned after the whole Vietnam anti-war movement.... and adapted accordingly, I think theyve done the same re the exxon valdez and now.

thanks for the Ott, tahoe!

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky" Buddha

[ Parent ]
Welcome! (4.00 / 4)
Yes, cover everything up for at least 20 to 30 years, after people have died of cancer, ocean life missing species, etc., then let out the truth?

"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."--Aristotle
[ Parent ]
thanks tahoebasha (4.00 / 3)

they must think we're Mushrooms ...

Must be kept in the dark,
and fed a steady diet of BS!


Thanks for Clip too

I would trust Dr. Ott, above most Talking YoYo's
any day of the week.


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

[ Parent ]
great blogging jamess (4.00 / 4)
and I apologize for my whacky brainwarp but I just cant take much more.

The "it could've been worse" gang gearing up for the midterm elections just has me gerfunked.

And re the Gulf... I keep thinking of this movie moment...




"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky" Buddha

thanks Lady Libertine (4.00 / 4)

I know what you mean.

My brain warp, seem to be stuck in an infinite loop lately,
lol

Makes researching, writing, and reporting objectively --
all the more difficult for me.

Not that, Objectivity, is my sole goal, in my efforts.

thank you for that 'gripping' clip


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

[ Parent ]
A major investigation has begun! (4.00 / 3)
NEW ORLEANS - Now that BP appears to have vanquished its ruptured well, authorities are turning their attention to gathering evidence from what could amount to a crime scene at the bottom of the sea. . . .

Hundreds of investigators can't wait to get their hands on evidence. The FBI is conducting a criminal investigation, the Coast Guard is seeking the cause of the blast, and lawyers are pursuing millions of dollars in damages for the families of the 11 workers killed, the dozens injured and the thousands whose livelihoods have been damaged. . . .

In other developments Friday, BP said it might drill again someday into the same lucrative undersea reservoir of oil, which is still believed to hold nearly $4 billion worth of crude. That prospect is unlikely to sit well with Gulf Coast residents furious at the oil giant.

"There's lots of oil and gas here," Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said. "We're going to have to think about what to do with that at some point." . . . .

Is there some way to "kill" this corporation?  (Of course, they probably figure no harm in going back in there -- the Gulf is dead!)  Can you imagine the unmitigated temerity of this obscene corporation?

"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."--Aristotle

I've always said (4.00 / 3)

Corporations are soulless, profit-maximizing machines.

BP seems to be proving the point.

"tone-deaf" comes to mind,
but that hardly captures it.

Money-grubbing liars,
is more to the point.


Where's the Note?    -- SEIU

[ Parent ]
Our country is run (4.00 / 1)
by a proliferation of "Money-grubbing liars."

"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."--Aristotle
[ Parent ]
Oh, and BTW, corporations are "people" (0.00 / 0)
now, so how could they be "souless, profit-maximizing machines?"  We should be able to "kill" the corporations that they are considered "human" by the Supreme Court!  

"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."--Aristotle
[ Parent ]
LOL, the response they got from Suttles jumping the pr gun on that one (4.00 / 1)
.... they had to pretend to walk it back already.

http://www.docudharma.com/diar...

on the BP twitter Fri evening


Update:  BP's present focus entirely on response in Gulf, future use of reservoir not currently under consideration.

They're going to be tangled up in lawsuits for years while trying to peddle the bad- luck oil volcano of doom.  

[ Parent ]
When does 'Mostly Gone' actually mean, 'A LOT is still There'? | 21 comments
 

Menu

- Create New Account
- Lost password
- Contact Us

Username:

Password:




- Mission Statement
- FAQ
- YouTube Posting
- HTML Help

Seek




Advanced Search

Contribute to Docudharma
 

 
     

 

Action
- Why Are Bank CEO's Seated on the New York Federal Reserve?
by: TheMomCat
- Stop CISPA: What You Need to Know
by: TheMomCat
- CISPA: Cybersecurity That Leaves Us All Unsecure
by: TheMomCat
- 'This is what co-optation looks like'
by: ek hornbeck

WikiLeaks Mirror Sites
 

Powered by: SoapBlox