Oil Plumes in the Gulf of Mexico
New researches have been made in the case of the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and it has been observed that a huge plume of dispersed oil is still present. Initially it was believed that the oil will be completely dissolved by the bacteria which is located in the water, but that did not happen, and as a result the wildlife might he heavily affected for the months or years to come.
The study is the most ambitious scientific paper regarding the Deepwater Horizon spill so far. The study reveals the fact that the situation might not be as bright as it was initially believed, because the water does not have the capacity of eliminating the oil from the oil at the rate which it was initially believed. Richard Camilli, who conducted the research, stated that the water was collected in June, and since then the situation could have changed a lot. The paper will be released on Friday in the magazine Science and it will represent a source of conflict, as many of the information contained in it contradicts what it was previously claimed regarding the incident.
The scientists agreed on the fact that the containment of the well has been successful, and that it has made lots of difference as the water is not contaminated in the same manner as it was before. However, they can not predict the damage which will be made by the existing oil plume located at the bottom of the water. The problem is that so far the only scientific information regarding the incident has been obtained from various government reports and statements released by the scientists working for these governments. As a result it is not certain if they were made in a 100 percent objective manner. It will take months before a clear scientific picture will emerge, as many additional research papers are in the process of being created.
Dr. Camilli’s group observed that the bacteria which are present in the water did not have the capacity of consuming the oil. One of the reasons for that is the fact that it might not have enough oxygen to be able to consume the oil. If that is true, then the wildlife might be in serious threat, as it will not have enough oxygen in order to breathe and in order to live. The government has made similar statements in the past week, and Dr. Camilli’s paper back up the claims made by the U.S government.
Dr. Camilli, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, Massachusetts stated that when they performed the tests the plume was dissipating at a very slow pace, and as a result it will take months before it will be completely removed from the water. He stated that if the plume which they found recently has the same consistency as the one which was present in the water in June, then it could take years before it will be completely eliminated from the area. The plume contains high concentrations of hydrocarbons which decline gradually as the plume traveled through the Gulf. It is unknown if the chemicals which are located in the plume will have an impact on the wildlife.
A team of government and independent scientists released a report on August 4. The paper which was organized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that 74 percent of the oil which was present in the water was eliminated through various means. BP performed lots of operations which had the task of cleaning the waters. They skimmed, burned, and dispersed the chemicals. The chemicals from the water were also eliminated through more natural ways such as evaporation, or dissolving. The report also stated that the remaining 26 percent of the oil which was present in the water was washed ashore, from where it was collected or it infiltrated the sediments or the sand. The report also stated that the effect of the oil is on a decline even if the oil is still present in the waters.
Scientists at the University of Georgia, who were present in May at the place where the incident occurred, stated that the reports made by the government are not real. They stated that the government has made the paper too optimistic, hiding many facts. They stated that the government predicted the dissipation rates in a wrong manner, as much less oil will be dissipated in reality. Samantha Joye, a professor of marine sciences at the University of Georgia, stated that the claims of the government in which they say that 74 percent of the oil has been eliminated from the water and no longer impose a threat, are untrue.
She is currently working on her own research, but the paper will not be released this month. Jane Lubchenco, the NOAA administrator, responded to the accusations by saying that they have made the correct calculations and predictions. She stated that the government did not try to hide anything, and that their calculations have not been forged. She stated that oil plumes are still present at the bottom of the water and that they could represent a threat for the marine wildlife.
Researchers from the University of South Florida stated that they have found oil droplets in the sediments located near the shores, and as a result the local fisheries could be heavily affected by it. The fishing and the shrimp industry has been heavily affected by the spill, and it is believed that it will take months before things will get back to normal. It is expected for the tourism to be affected as well, as people are afraid to swim in the waters. In an attempt to reassure people that the waters do not impose a threat, president Obama swam with his family in the Gulf waters. Tony Hayward, the former CEO of British Petroleum stated that the plumes do not exist, and that proved to be wrong. It is currently unknown how the situation will evolve.
