The Oil Well Ownership Game - Environment Loses

Over at Sky Truth another well in the Gulf has sprung a leak, this time near Venice with enough oil to make the mainstream press.

Although the mainstream press does not seem to know where this "mysterious slick" has come from Sky Truth with the help of Gulf Restoration Network have pinpointed the slick to an exact well and uncovered the sad wells history.

As it turns out since this wells sidelining it has changed hands multiple times, with entities going bankrupt, filing for chapter 11, or sold to other entities.

In short a shell game of biblical permutations and one has to wonder, is this by chance, or by design?

With some 15 thousand early orphaned wells in the Gulf that do not produce major quantities of oil and gas but are still "active" and getting older, who owns a well when it starts leaking?

For the wildlife that interacted with this latest slick, they are the ultimate losers.

Keep following Sky Truth for the complete story and the Gulf Restoration Network for the great work with oil spills. If you want the facts of the Gulf and Gulf oil spills, these are your prime sources.

Images by Southwings.

Raw Media Footage - BP Gulf Disaster Mote Shark Research

PROJECT INFO: Highlight footage approved by Mote Marine Laboratory for news/media use. Research Expedition headed by Dr. Bob Hueter, Director - Mote Center for Shark Research to study effects of BP Gulf Oil Disaster.

FORMAT: Multi-Camera, HD, 16:9. Field produced & shot by the Paxton Brothers in dual role as Science Party Crew and Presenters.

STATUS: Project available for co-production & development, programming content & distribution, news/media stock footage and certain educational applications.

The team at Think Out Loud Productions is focused on innovative outdoor adventure & wildlife footage, still and textual content to support non-fiction or documentary television programming and / or other multi-media educational opportunities.

Contact: Info@ThinkOutLoudProductions.com for details.

For More Information Visit: ThinkOutLoudProductions

Oceana, Gulf Oil, and Sharks

Thanks to Shark Diver Gabriel Beyrent for the Oceana media find this morning:

Oceana have deployed underwater sensors in the area where a B.P oil rig exploded and collapsed nearly five months ago, spewing 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

They have used underwater cameras to check out an area called the Alabama Alps. They have sent divers down to look for evidence of dead sea life on the floor of the Gulf. Now scientists will be going shark fishing next week to see what effects, if any, the nation's worst oil disaster has had on those creatures.

"I think the picture is still cloudy,'' said Michael Hirshfield, the chief scientist at Oceana, an international conservation group.

Hirshfield made his comments earlier this week aboard the Oceana Latitude as it was about 20 miles off the shore of Mobile, Ala. The ship is expected to dock in St. Petersburg this weekend as the crew gets ready for the next leg involving sharks.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, scientists from Oceana and the National Aquarium will team up to head into the Gulf to fish for sharks. "We'll have to see what we can catch,'' said Elizabeth Wilson, a marine scientist and fisheries campaign manager for Oceana. "Our hope is we can find hammerhead and bull sharks.The sharks will be measured, logged and tagged and released back into the Gulf. If they are ever caught again, researchers can compare the original data. They can see how much they have grown, where they have moved to, and if they have suffered any ill health effects."It's a big unknown, but it is definitely something that I am concerned about,'' Wilson said of possible consequences from the oil in the Gulf.

The 170-foot Latitude vessel has been at sea in the Gulf since earlier this month and will be at sea until early October, except for the brief pit stop in St. Petersburg.

Oilmegeddon Video When Oceans Catch Fire

Gulf Coast Whale Sharks - Worst Fears Realized

When the Gulf oil platform exploded and sank we began ongoing whale shark coverage in the region on the 25th of April.

That coverage culminated in a first person interview with Dr.Hoffmayer from the Gulf Coast Research Lab on May 24th.

Our blog coverage lead the major media in the ongoing and salient Gulf whale shark story.

Read Whale Sharks - Prime Time.

Sadly, some of the worst fears of this team have been realized this week as Whale sharks have been seen in the most toxic areas of the Gulf oil region struggling to survive.

"Our worst fears are realized. They are not avoiding the spill area," said Eric Hoffmayer, the University of Southern Mississippi scientist who found the large aggregation last week. "Those animals are going to succumb. Taking mouthfuls of oil is not good. It is not the toxicity that will kill them. It's that oil is going to be sticking to their gills and everything else."

As with 90% of shark research stories this one is frustrating for one basic fact. Despite many requests for tag funding that might have allowed Dr.Hoffmayer and his team to fully understand the movements of these animals he was unable to secure the number of tags needed to get the work done. Now his work will be one of "intuitive guesswork" for the next few seasons as he and his team try and understand the effects of oil on these magnificent migratory animals.



Complete Story.

Gulf Oil Slick Mystery - Where's The Oil?

It hard not to get frustrated at BP's handling of the Gulf oil disaster, when even basic questions like "where is the oil going?," cannot be answered.

But wait, there could be an answer if only someone would think out of the box - behold this nifty gizmo here.

It's a satellite tag used to track wildlife, like sharks, turtles, tuna. Every time the antenna breaks the surface waiting satellites download position data. It also floats 24/7 when not attached to a critter.

What if BP bought 10,000 of these and dropped them into the major parts of the slick?

Well then you would have a real-time understanding of where the oil was spreading and where it was going, instead of headlines like these that just make you want to break something in frustration.

If we can track a single Bluefin tuna clear across the Atlantic ocean, surely we can real-time a major oil disaster?

BP Oilmegeddon Images - Aquaman Wins!

The search for The Ultimate BP Oilmegeddon Image is over and we have declared a winner.

The Aquaman BP comic book cover now making the rounds is the hands down classic. With small details like the June date in the right hand corner and the 12 cent cover hearkening back to the 1960's and a time when oil and household chemicals were our friends.

To whoever the mystery creator is behind this first rate BP image slam we say a hearty thank you.

Cannot wait until there's a T-shirt available we'll will buy a few dozen for friends and family.

The irony here being that the logo will have to be created out of an oil based product, damn you irony!

US Coast Guard Admiral Asks James Cameron For Oil Help

7th Coast Guard District

U.S. Coast Guard


News Release

Date: May 28, 2010

Contact: Anna M. Tulane

(305) 797-4444

US Coast Guard Admiral Asks James Cameron For Alien Help With BP Spill

KEY WEST, Fla. - Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen asked Hollywood filmmaker James Cameron (Titanic, The Abyss, Avatar) for help with the ongoing British Petroleum spill in the Gulf of Mexico today.

"We're hoping he can ask his alien buddies from that movie The Abyss down there to help us shut down this well," said Admiral Allen in a press conference with Mr.Cameron today.

In 1989 director Cameron featured deep sea aliens who could stop nuclear bombs from exploding and had complete alien powers over water, being able to move ships and equipment with ease at depth.

Capt. Matt DeAngelo, commanding officer of Sector Key West, Florida has been tasked with coordinating with The Abyss Aliens once they arrive, establishing a Unified Abyss Alien Command comprised of members from the Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of the Interior.

"We need to use every asset at our disposal, and these aliens seem like the best option we have at the moment after a month of failed efforts and millions of gallons of oil and dispersant floating around out there" DeAngelo said. "We will continue to operate the Unified Abyss Alien Command as long as the aliens want to work with us, from what I have seen they are pretty handy with equipment."

Efforts to contact The Abyss Aliens will start at 11.30 Eastern with the blowing of Conch Shells from vessels stationed in the 30,000 square mile disaster zone.

The public is asked to report the sighting of any Abyss Aliens to the U.S. Coast Guard at 1 (800) 444-8802.

The public is reminded that The Abyss Aliens are shy and delicate comprised of "jelly like" material, which while not dangerous to most people can cause an allergic reaction and should only be touched by trained personnel.

###



The following Underwater Onion brought to you by Shark Diver. Attempting levity in the face of America's Oceanic Chernobyl.

COREXIT and Oil - Video from the front lines

ABC news has excellent underwater coverage from the front lines in the Gulf. When COREXIT and oil do not mix. The EPA and BP are at loggerheads about this toxic dispersant currently banned in the U.K.

See additional Gulf coverage with whale shark researcher Dr.Eric Hoffmayer "Prime Time for Whale Sharks at Ground Zero." This is the chemical soup these animals are likely to be moving through at this time.

Polluted Math - BP Oil Spill Numbers

When does 5000 barrels of recovered oil per day suddenly become 2000?

In the ongoing and very strange mathematical world of BP's media team. Where oil spill numbers vary depending on the apparent whims of BP's other team in charge of America's Chernobyl, their legal team.

To follow this convoluted story we have been slavishly attached to ongoing BP media coverage from 1115.org and Sarabeth Guthberg who is on top of BP's spin machine.

Are the actual numbers important?

Yes they are. To effectively understand the ecological fall out of this disaster you first need to know how much oil has been spilled. BP, NOAA and the Coast Guard do not seem to share that basic tenet and still insist the flow rate is "officially" 5000 barrels a day.

Although 27 days into the disaster and responding to a wave of pressure NOAA has initiated the National Incident Command's Flow Rate Technical Group.

"The National Incident Command's Flow Rate Technical Group (FRTG) is designed to support the response and inform the public by providing scientifically validated information about the amount of oil flowing from BP's leaking oil well while ensuring the vital efforts to cap the leak are not impeded."

Live video of the ongoing spill at 5000 feet can be found here.

Read Sarabeths report here and synopsis from Mother Jones.

British Petroleum - Fun Activities For Oil Spill

In case you're sick of 24/7 Oilmegedden coverage coming out of the Gulf, here's some fun BP oil related activities for you to do this week.

For instance, we have installed this live video feed from the well head at 5000 feet. Courtesy of BP and branded with their logo, you can watch the unfolding drama live, and even see unfortunate deep water sharks as they blunder into the plume.

Speaking of Logo's

For a more creative outlet this week, Greenpeace is asking for submissions to help redesign BP's logo, guaranteed fun.

You can submit your design here, and these are a few of the submission to date. We are featuring one of the newer logo's uploaded today.

That's it for now. Not much more to report from the Gulf, another 70,000 barrels streaming into the ocean, another day in the life of America's Chernobyl.

Audio Research Report from the Gulf Loop Current - 5.19.2010

One of the few research vessels operating in the Gulf region right now is the RV Tommy Munro from The University of Southern Mississippi.

Her current position is 250 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico conducting sampling transects of the Loop Current in an attempt to capture specimens of the larval forms of the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. This is one of the critical Gulf species most impacted by oil and dispersant chemicals.

Gulf Coast Research Laboratory GCRL scientists Jim Franks, Dr. Bruce Comyns, and Dick Waller are conducting the research.

“We’re concerned about the potential effects of the oil spill on this highly vulnerable species.”

A May 14 press release provides details.

After a two-day run to reach the Loop Current, an initial audio report was filed today by fisheries biologist Jim Franks. If satellite phone connections permit, audio reports will be filed daily.

Click here to listen.

Gulf Oil in Marathon, Florida?

Scott Grey from Blue Iguana Charters found this disturbing post yesterday.

A small oil slick off the coast of Marathon Keys, Florida has been found and photographed. Officials now say tar balls found in Florida last week are not from the Gulf oil disaster.

These are the same officials who also say oil leaking from a BP well head is coming out a a rate of 5000 barrels a day, a figure hotly disputed by researchers, NPR and conservation groups.

The images and oil find was posted by Jeremy Foell at Spearboard.com.

The US Coast Guard says oil is "nearing" the Loop Current but has not yet arrived.

BP and Friends Sirring Righteous Anger

British Petroleum's CEO and media friends are stirring righteous anger around the world by downplaying the 10 million square mile Gulf oil spill.

Using phrases like "very modest," and "minor event" we have provided a sample of recent interviews all but guaranteed to stir some righteous anger:

BP's CEO "Very, very modest spill."



Fox News Brit Hume "Where's the oil?"

Oil in Loop Current - Legally Amorphous Plumes

Oil has entered the Loop Current arriving in Key West Florida today.

Regional park mangers and government officials are not saying if this is BP oil. Sky Truth posted a satellite image yesterday showing the 10,000 square mile slick being "pulled by" the Loop Current.

For BP legal teams up and down the Gulf the environmental equation is simple.

BP will be forced to pay out damages for "surface strike oil only," and is currently engaged in an unprecedented oil dispersant campaign using COREXIT. Surface oil accounts for 30% of the estimated oil now in the Gulf. BP is shooting COREXIT into the oil plume at a depth of 5000 feet causing the oil to disperse into a giant, sub surface, and legally amorphous plume.

One of these sub surface plumes is estimated to be 30 miles long, 10 miles wide, and 1000 ft thick. This undersea oil could eventually become 100-500 miles in diameter. The environmental impact of these plumes is not known and might never be known except for anecdotal evidence of reef die offs and missing stocks of game fish in the region.

For lawyers skilled in arts of "definitive proof" undersea oil plumes equals money in the bank for oil giant BP. Meanwhile, another 850,00 gallons of COREXIT is being sprayed this week.

Oilmegeddon - New Spill Estimates vs Admiral in Charge

NPR has announced the latest oil spill numbers at a stunning 70,000 barrels a day. That's almost one Exxon Valdez tanker spill every four days. Using the latest satellite imagery and input from scientists, NPR says this is a full blown disaster.

Then we have this guy, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen who says this spill is not a "monolithic spill," and after 23 days it has "the potential" to be catastrophic.

The burning question in the Gulf right now, what is the truth behind this oil spill?"

COREXIT 850,000 Gallons - Gulf Spill

BP has signed another deal for the oil dispersant COREXIT and 850,000 gallons to be sprayed into the Gulf to fight an ever expanding oil slick. 450,000 gallons have been sprayed thus far. Many environmental groups are unsure about these chemicals and their use.

Here are the EPA COREXIT handling instructions (click link for toxicity evaluation).

SPECIAL HANDLING AND WORKER PRECAUTIONS

Ventilation:
Avoid prolonged breathing of vapors. Use with ventilation equal to unobstructed outdoors in moderate breeze.

Skin and eye contact; protective clothing; treatment in case of contact:
Avoid eye contact. In case of eye contact, immediately flush eyes with large amounts of water for at least 15 minutes. Get prompt medical attention.

Avoid contact with skin and clothing. In case of skin contact, immediately flush with large amounts of water, and soap if available. Remove contaminated clothing, including shoes, after flushing has begun. If irritation persists, seek medical attention. For open systems where contact is likely, wear long sleeve shirt, chemical resistant gloves, and chemical protective goggles.

What is COREXIT and how does it work?

Oil spill worries shark research scientist

Nick Whitney admired the two juvenile female nurse sharks lolling around in a 40,000-gallon tank at Mote Marine Laboratory's Center for Shark Research.

"Incredibly beautiful to look at," said the 32-year-old Bradenton, Fla., resident.

Yet there was concern in his voice.

A post-doctoral scientist and specialist in shark behavioral ecology, Whitney is worried about the ongoing oil spill off Louisiana.

If it ever gets pulled into the Gulf of Mexico's loop current, it would catastrophically affect the nurse shark population in the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas where Whitney and others have spent years of research.

"Mating season is coming up in a month, mid-June, early July," Whitney said. "If the Keys are hit by the oil spill at that time, it could be devastating - and not only to this coastline. These animals come into shallow waters to mate in large mating aggregations. It could destroy mating season for an entire year, which could be a huge hit to the population."

Read more here.

Oil Spill in the Gulf - Underwater Video

ABC News has coverage of the video that BP wanted hidden from the media claiming content rights. After White House intervention they released the following clip. The white plume is a frozen gas slush, followed quickly by oil. It was one these gas eruptions that caused the original drilling platform to explode in a fireball 21 days ago.

More in depth "Oilmageddon" coverage from Deep Sea News:

Jeff Corwin Reports - Sharks in Oil Disaster

Some of the best coverage of the ongoing oil disaster in the Gulf can be found at Huff Post. I have been less than thrilled with the major media who, for the most part, have been treating this massive ecological disaster as a "one dimensional talking point memo" featuring vacuous reporters spitting out inane eco bytes.

Enter Jeff Corwin who went hands on for CBS in the Gulf recently to pose questions and cover ongoing research in the region with sharks. Jeff is one of the few reporters who brings home this unfolding disaster in terms that are understandable and immediate (see video).

On a personal note I came close to throwing a brick through the television this am watching a morning show anchor describe the "good news" that thousands of gallons of chemical dispersant was being dropped on the oil so it would sink to the bottom of the ocean rendering the oil "safe."

News Anchor Test

To put this into perspective. Take your morning coffee. Add a teaspoon of motor oil. Now add a half teaspoon of chemical dispersant. Let sit while these toxic chemicals bind with the motor oil and drop to the bottom of your coffee.

Now drink. No? Thought so.


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