Gulf Oil Leaks Could Gush for Years: National Geographic Article

[jus_the_facts]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/05/100513-science-environment-gulf-oil-spill-cap-leak/
Christine Dell'Amore

National Geographic News

Published May 13, 2010

If efforts fail to cap the leaking Deepwater Horizon wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico (map), oil could gush for years—poisoning coastal habitats for decades, experts say.


Also, slant drilling—a technique used to relieve pressure near the leak—is difficult at these depths, because the relief well has to tap into the original pipe, a tiny target at about 7 inches (18 centimeters) wide, Simmons noted.

"We don't have any idea how to stop this," Simmons said of the Gulf leak. Some of the proposed strategies—such as temporarily plugging the leaking pipe with a jet of golf balls and other material—are a "joke," he added.

"We really are in unprecedented waters."


And the oil is still flowing robustly, which suggests that the reserve "would take years to deplete," said David Rensink, incoming president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

"You're talking about a reservoir that could have tens of millions of barrels in it."

[Mari333]

1. sigh.

[Botany]

2. Drill Baby Drill

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Fer sure." - Big Head Todd (R)

[Botany]

4. Drill Baby Drill Live @ the RNC 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o0iJDA7_lY

I hope those fuckers choke on their words.

[RC]

11. They won't. They have no sense of history.

[KamaAina]

9. Big Head Todd? Does that make the other repukes and teabaggers the Monsters?

:shrug:

[Jamastiene]

25. How's that drilly spilly thing working out for ya, Sarah?

I'm feeling particularly snarky toward her right now because I have had fucking Palin overload this weekend with the NRA Convention 75 miles to my west. Every local channel's news has been like a nonstop Palin campaign commercial. I'm fucking sick to death of having to grab the remote and turn the channel. I just wanted to know the weather and they are all gushing over that idiot. FFS! I know there are storms coming this weekend, but due to her little comments in Charlotte, I'll never fucking know when to take shelter. God, I can't stand her. :nuke: :mad: :banghead:

Sorry for the rant, but I just had to let it out somewhere somehow.

:rant:

[L0oniX]

5. RIP Gulf of Mexico ...and goodby to all my friends.

[jus_the_facts]

7. ..............

:cry:

[zeemike]

12. It makes me sad to think about that.

I can remember sailing in the Gulf and having the dolphins come up along side of the boat and play around the bow....I would get out on the bow and hang my head over the side and they would each take turns coming up and rolling to the side to look at me...
And to think what hell they must be going through makes me mad.

[L0oniX]

14. I go sailing regularly out in the gulf and I have also experienced the same.

[Swamp Rat]

6. k&r

[jus_the_facts]

13. ...dreamers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJqswLi3uE
:evilfrown:

[Bluebear]

15. Wow.

People won't like that. Good.

[Swamp Rat]

17. I don't like it

but there's a goddamn oil volcano in my back yard and Obama has put the criminals in charge of covering up their crimes.... and now we, the survivors of Katrina, can lay back and watch our slow (final) death once again.



edit: I am so fucking pissed off, I can hardly control my anger.

[Jamastiene]

26. +1000000

[arcadian]

27. Love it, Swamp Rat

[lib2DaBone]

8. Peak Oil.. we are running out of oil....

.. the only problem.. there is so much oil... there is no place left to store it....

As soon as Goldman Sachs gets the price back up to $5 a gallon... you can have as much as you want.

[amborin]

10. knr

one article said deposit holds up to 50 million barrels

[wildbilln864]

16. we are so fucked! eom

[Karmadillo]

18. Soon, Obama will be calling a bipartisan commission to study this. The leak's years are numbered!

nt

[Bluebear]

19. He's very angry about it, though.

[Duppers]

20. IF true, we're fucked!

IF this volcano continues unabated for YEARS, it will pollute the oceans of the entire planet --- this pollution will severely inhibit, or possibly even stop, photosynthesis.

It is estimated that 70% to 80% of the oxygen in the atmosphere is produced by marine plants growing on the continental shelves. Obviously, non-plant life cannot survive w/o a certain density of oxygen.


Only conclusion: We're fucked.

[ladjf]

21. There has got to be a way to stop up a 22" hole. I'm not an engineer

but I know that somebody in the world could figure out how to do it.

[jus_the_facts]

22. They aren't concerned with stopping it... only how they can still get the oil....

....guess nothing else matters at this point. :grr:

[ladjf]

23. I fervently hope that your theory is wrong but fear that it is correct. nt

[Wilms]

24. ouch. n/t