There are almost four thousand oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico

[Bandit]

What if a quake measuring 9.0 were to strike there? I think some oil would be spilled. Is there any contingency planning for such an occurrence?

[Autumn]

1. I'm not sure. I would imagine if there were a plan in place

the BP spill would have been handled differently.

[Fearless]

2. Impossible if you look at the map below.

The North American plate well covers the area. Major earthquakes only occur on the major fault lines when two rub against each other and one gives, for instance California and Japan.

[Blues Heron]

3. google new madrid n/t

[Fearless]

7. And look at the sizes of those quakes and...

realize that the Richter Scale is logarithmic. That is a 1.0 is 10 times weaker than a 2.0... etc. A 5.2 as New Madrid was is therefore almost 10,000 times weaker than a 9.0. And can "cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings over small regions. At most slight damage to well-designed buildings."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richter_scale


So yes, if a 5.2 hit directly under an oil well, it would cause trouble. But the odds of that happening are very very low. That said, I have not said that it wouldn't be a good idea to be prepared. I merely remarked that the chances of a 9.0 earthquake happening mid-plate has never happened in recorded history ANYWHERE in the world. 9.0 earthquakes happen only once every twenty years (on average) anywhere on Earth, and always along plate boundaries.

[jwirr]

5. So how did Haiti happen? Isn't it also inside that plate.

[Fearless]

6. Haiti is part of the large island east south east of cuba...

On the boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates.

[jwirr]

8. I knew there were two plates I did not know that it was between the two

plates. Thank you.

[Fearless]

10. You are quite welcome!

:hi:

[BeFree]

4. Relatively minor

There are nukes along the Gulf. If your earthquake happened, the oil would be relatively nothing.

Please, don't tell me you think nukes and the industry that loves nukes is good for us.

[meow mix]

9. plutonium fires...pshaw.

radioactive plumes drifting from the heartland to the north, no problem.