Tags
cricketdiane, crude oil drilling accident, Gulf of Mexico recovery efforts from oil disaster, oil spill in Gulf of Mexico
Note this one –
I think we ought to email this set –
Offshore Technology Conference 2010 (OTC .10)
May 3-6, 2010; Houston, Texas Founded in 1969, the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is the world’s foremost event for the development of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production, and environmental protection. Technical topics to be addressed at OTC .10 include alternative energy, drilling technology, facilities and production operations, marine geoscience and geohazards, materials technology, ocean engineering resources, offshore pipelines, public policy, and more.
Contact: Offshore Technology Conference; 222 Palisades Creek Drive, Richardson, Texas, USA 75080-2040. Phone: 972.952.9494. E-mail: service@otcnet.org
My Note –
about the oil dispersal agents – When asked about why then did the EPA and the oil industry decide to use these dispersant agents on the oil – and the answer as close as I could get it – “the the oil companies have developed chemical dispersants , they buy them from themselves and then take a tax-write off for buying them to use them – ” just now said by the Marine Toxicologist on CNN, Riki Ott speaking from Colorado expert on the subject.
Going to stop and go take a bath – can’t think of anything fit to publish in a public arena . . .
(nor on an email to the conference organizers on the site above.)
– cricketdiane
***
My Note –
That took a while before I could think of a sentence to write about this without seventeen cuss words all strung together.
And the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is happening right now – so I’m just in time.
And very quickly before I get off this blog and watch President’s Night – there is every evidence that the crude oil in the Gulf along with the chemical dispersal agent they’ve interspersed – is a question of a massive problem of chemistry. And, that means it is a question of physics.
Other than that – it occurred to me that I had a husband once who came home wearing burnt diesel motor oil most days of the week and I cleaned it by dissolving it with something that took it off the bathtub, the sink, the counters, the refrigerator door and rubber seal, from his clothes and out of the towels I couldn’t afford to buy again. And, I bet that every woman and some men whose jobs involve the creosote on telephone poles, asphalt roofing and paving, diesel mechanicking and shade tree fixing of nearly any kind of vehicle – also has some knowledge of what dissolves crude oil, crude oil products and burnt motor oil –
That’s the physics at one level that would yield something to take the oil out of the Gulf safely because when I used whatever I came up with at the time, it didn’t take the porcelain off the tub, didn’t pull the skin off my hands, was a thing that dissolved it away – because I am way not into scrubbing stuff and took the crud out of his clothes without dissolving the fabrics.
I’m still trying to remember what worked – but so far, I only have the list in my mind of what I remember trying that didn’t work – but I’ll work on it and anybody else that has ever had to deal with it – clue us all in about what worked for you in those situations – and no, its not GoJO, although that works good on hands in the mechanics’ bay . . .
– cricketdiane
And, last quick thing before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner gets into full swing. What if they hung those pleated heater filters down along all the sides of all the boats, fishing boats, pleasure boats, skiffs, sailboats, what ever floats, then just ran the boats through the water until they’d collected up enough oil to bag the filters and put some clean ones across all the sides? – It’d get up at least as much as they are doing any other way. It might save the intercoastal waterways and if something else would work better than the filters – anything that works . . .
Just a thought.
Later –
***
Last night, I went over to the CNN online coverage and academic sites that have pictures of the crude oil spill. There are pictures of the “booms” they are using and lines of fishermen waiting to get forms for BP to involve them in the oil cleanup. There are a number of places seeking specific things in order to wash off the birds and animals – like Dawn dish soap and soft cloths and brushes. President Obama today is right now flying to the area – the news (also CNN) showed the President’s plane, Air Force One leaving Andrews Air Force Base just a little bit ago.
And here are those links –
Crude Oil Spill Spewing Into Gulf of Mexico off coast of Louisiana - April 29 view
Crude Oil Spill Spewing Into Gulf of Mexico off coast of Louisiana – April 29 view from Earth Scan Laboratory – Louisiana State University
(from here – )
Aqua Channel2 Image of Oil Spill - April 29 - Gulf of Mexico - TransOcean BP crude oil spill
(also from above site – Coastal Studies Institute of Louisiana State University)
**
http://gcoos.tamu.edu/products/surface_condition.html
Sea surface temperature - Gulf of Mexico Ocean Observing Station - April 29, 2010 - Crude Oil Spill
Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing Station
http://gcoos.tamu.edu/products/surface_condition.html
***
Now they are saying that the oil is spewing into the gulf at the rate of 25,000 gallons a day – or is that barrels? CNN just showed on Candy Crowley State of the Union, the difference in day 1, day 2, day 8 and then now – what was said about how much oil (or originally saying none at all) is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.
And I also found this which somebody who knows more about chemistry than I do needs to read and see if they can understand how its information could be used to help remediate the oil and dispersal chemistry that is now sitting throughout the water column and surface of the Gulf of Mexico.
It is found here –
http://www.mecx.net/papers/services/MecX-MGPRemediation.pdf
INNOVATIVE HEAVY OIL CONTAMINANT REMEDIATION
AT TYPICAL MGP REMEDIATION SITES
Douglas D. Carvel, P.E.
President
Richard T. Cartwright P.E., CHMM
Vice President
MECX, LLC
6300 West Loop South, Ste 500
Bellaire, TX 77401
ABSTRACT
An innovative in-situ soil and groundwater treatment process has been developed to economically reduce total contaminant mass of viscous heavy oils and PAHs, which are typically encountered at MGP sites. This process uses a sequential treatment train, which is initiated by first dissolving the contaminants with a biodegradable co-solvent and then oxidizing the dissolved material with an aggressive oxidant, Fenton’s Reagent, followed by accelerated aerobic bioremediation.
(etc.)
My Note –
There is possibly some information in use for other environments which will be necessary for the wetlands – but also some of those biologically friendly systems might be needed out in the Gulf waters too. Somebody more knowledgeable than I am needs to look through it and see – maybe talk to the people who are listed on the paper to see about using their fields of knowledge to help with this recovery effort in the coastal areas along the Gulf.
– cricketdiane
***
Also on CNN –
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/04/29/interactive.oil.spills/index.html
(I went through the slide show and read it – reminded that Reuters and UPI usually have good photos of these kinds of things available online, too.)
(and) – on this one – check on down through the posts –
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/category/latest-news/gulf-coast-oil-spill/
Guarding Lake Pontchartrain
WDSU also reports that work has begun to guard Lake Pontchartrain from a possible threat from the oil spill.
“Let’s mobilize. Let’s be ready. I feel so bad for what’s going on to our friends in South Louisiana, but I cannot let it get into this Lake Pontchartrain Basin,” said St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis.
[posted 8:49 a.m. ET] – Gulf Coast residents brace for the arrival of a massive oil slick creeping toward shore.
“Now they’re saying we are seeing sheens” hitting the coast, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Saturday, citing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “But they expect the heavier oil to be coming by tomorrow and Monday.”
(etc.)
Wildlife teams brace for animal rescue efforts on Gulf Coast
[Updated at 9:21 p.m.] Aquariums and animal sanctuaries in several Gulf Coast states are preparing for rescue efforts as the first oil covered animals are being pulled from the contaminated waters.
The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Indian Springs, Florida, is seeking donations of rags, brushes and dish soap to assist in cleaning the animals, CNN affiliate Central Florida News 13 reports. Peptol Bismol can also be used to coat birds’ stomachs if they ingest oil.
Staff at the Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, Lousiana, told CNN affiliate WBZR that the spill could not have come at a worse time for the endangered Kemp sea turtle, which was in the midst of migrating across the Gulf to Mexico to nest.
WBZR reports that the aquarium is preparing to take in dozens of sea turtles each day and place them in tubs filled with water, kelp and rocks to simulate their natural habitat. The staff told WBZR that regular household supplies like dish detergent and mayonnaise work best to clean their shells, but the hard part is tending to the damaged lungs and liver tissue.
[Updated at 6:11 p.m.] Volunteer agencies are mobilizing thousands of people through phone registries and websites to respond to a large mass of oil drifting toward the Gulf Coast. But many people are still awaiting orders, journalist Craig Johnson reports.
[Updated at 5:07 p.m.] The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is gathering contact information here for people who want to volunteer to reduce the impacts of the oil spill. The organization notes that volunteers are not being deployed at this time, but says it will keep volunteers updated.
The group also cautions against touching or approaching oiled wildlife, as it may pose health and safety risks to humans and animals. Please contact BP’s Oiled Wildlife Response Hotline immediately at 866-557-1401, with information such as the type and number of animals, location, when you saw it and a contact phone number.
The Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs is also constantly updating a web page devoted to the spill. Information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and satellite imagery from the Louisiana State University Earth Scan Lab’s website are just a few of the resources.
[Updated at 4:13 p.m] There’s no way to stop oily water from reaching land along the Gulf Coast, but experts will use tools both massive and microscopic to clean it up, reports CNN.com’s Jim Kavanagh.
He spoke to Ralph Portier, a professor of environmental sciences at Louisiana State University, who said that oil-soaked sand on beaches in the eastern Gulf Coast can be scooped up with heavy equipment, but the grassy marshes in the Mississippi Delta can’t be handled that way.
Along the Louisiana and Mississippi coast, “you’re talking about a sea of grass, if you will,” similar to the Florida Everglades, Portier said. “When it gets oiled, if you try and remove some of this stuff, you’re going to do more damage than good. “In Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Destin, Florida, you can do that, but not here in what we like to call the Redneck Riviera,” the southern Louisiana native said.
[Updated at 3:42 p.m.] See what’s involved in cleaning up an oil spill, and a list of some of the worst oil spills in U.S. and world history.
[Updated at 3:31 p.m.] Tom MacKenzie of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told CNN the oil spill could endanger turtles and manatees. “We can’t boom the entire coast line,” he said. “So, do we expect a hit? Absolutely.”
“This has the potential of being truly devastating.”
[Updated at 3:14 p.m.] WDSU reports that BP has changed the phone number for its “Vessel of Opportunity” program to 281-366-551. The program was set up to incorporate fishermen and boaters for the oil spill clean-up effort, WDSU reports.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/category/latest-news/gulf-coast-oil-spill/
(etc.)
My Note –
As noted above – there are needs in the coastal areas where volunteers are going out to help with the wildlife that are already experiencing problems from the oil – the various groups need dish soap, Dawn dish soap does work specifically – and soft bristle brushes – even the kinds of brushes used to brush babies’ hair, and soft slightly stiffer bristle brushes and cotton cloths that can be used to take this oil off the birds and larger animals that are rescued
check the aquarium and sea sanctuary sites listed through the CNN sites or online – go directly to the websites that were already in existence before this happened and link through where their announcements are on their sites about the recovery and volunteer efforts underway – call and see what they need and the place to send it to them so they will get it right now
– cricketdiane
This is from the document about oil recovery system proposed and studied for soils but maybe appropriate to be considered to use for this – from its introduction –
INTRODUCTION
Treatment of saturated soils impacted with heavy oils and petroleum aromatic hydrocarbons have always been a challenge due to the high viscosity and low aqueous solubility of the contaminants at ambient temperatures. Treatment of these sites has been impeded by the difficulty of
dissolving and desorbing the contaminants for recovery or treatment by oxidants or biological technologies. Recent treatment successes have been achieved by using various thermal technologies (i.e., steam, six phase heating, Fenton’s Reagent, etc.).
All of the thermal approaches have proven to be effective in desorbing and dissolving the contaminants but they have proven to be very costly and have greatly impacted the use of the property during treatment. Of all these approaches only the oxidation process actually provides for the destruction of the contaminant in addition to its dissolution.
The goal of this program was to find a process which provides the benefits of the thermal and oxidation approaches while ensuring that the cost and site impacts are minimized. To achieve this goal, MECX LLC evaluated a sequential treatment train which consisted of a contaminant desorption and dissolution phase, a free product recovery phase, a source area oxidation phase, and a final polishing phase. The idea for the use of a sequential treatment train was to apply a series of cost effective and environmentally friendly processes has proven to meet the desired objectives without the negative impacts of high cost and restrictions of land use.
The sequential treatment train selection began with the evaluation of a solvent that would effectively dissolve the viscous organic contaminant while being both environmentally friendly and cost effective.
http://www.mecx.net/papers/services/MecX-MGPRemediation.pdf
***
From –
http://gulfseagrant.tamu.edu/oilspill/index.htm
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil spill website, hosted by the four GOM Sea Grant programs, provides visitors with access to a wealth of data concerning the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Website content will be continually updated, and visitors should check back often for new and revised information.
The spill involves a deepwater drilling platform approximately 50 miles southeast of Venice, La. An explosion and subsequent fire damaged the rig, which capsized and sank on April 22, 2010, after burning for hours. It is unclear how much of the estimated 700,000 gallons (approximately 16,700 barrels) of #2 fuel onboard burned before it sank. The rig is owned by Transocean and is under contract to British Petroleum (BP).
To report oiled wildlife, please call 1-866-557-1401 and leave a message. Messages will be checked hourly. To discuss spill-related damage, please call 1-800-440-0858. To report oiled shoreline or to request volunteer information, please call 1-866-448-5816.
My Note – many of the links on this page, I worked through and provide real information – these I did not go to but will come back to them as needed – you may want to see them – I’m going to go find the volunteers’ groups getting out there and what they need –
– cricketdiane
These are from –
Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs
http://gulfseagrant.tamu.edu/oilspill/index.htm
Tools:
- Multipurpose Marine Cadastre – Supplies baseline information needed for marine spatial planning efforts
- Legislative Atlas – Displays maps of ocean and coastal laws and provides access to summaries of state and federal laws via an interactive Web application
- C-CAP Land Cover Atlas (Beta) – Enables users to view regional C-CAP land cover data and explore land cover changes and trends
- Benthic Habitat Atlas of Coastal Texas – Displays shallow-water habitat for Texas coastal bays in an interactive viewer
- Topographic and Bathymetric Data Inventory – Enables users to locate and learn about the best available elevation data sets for their area
(there are a lot of others here)
***
And I almost forgot – this
I think we ought to email this set –
Offshore Technology Conference 2010 (OTC .10)
May 3-6, 2010; Houston, Texas Founded in 1969, the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is the world’s foremost event for the development of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production, and environmental protection. Technical topics to be addressed at OTC .10 include alternative energy, drilling technology, facilities and production operations, marine geoscience and geohazards, materials technology, ocean engineering resources, offshore pipelines, public policy, and more.
Contact: Offshore Technology Conference; 222 Palisades Creek Drive, Richardson, Texas, USA 75080-2040. Phone: 972.952.9494. E-mail: service@otcnet.org
otcnet.org — Contact Us
Offshore Technology Conference
222 Palisades Creek Drive, Richardson, Texas, USA 75080-2040
P.O. Box 833868, Richardson, Texas, USA 75083-3836
Telephone: +1.972.952.9494
Fax: +1.972.952.9435
Email: registration@spe.org
Registration Questions?
Email Experient or call them at +1.301.694.5243 or 1.866.229.2386 (toll-free US and Canada)
Exhibitor Services
Barbara Katz, Exhibits Manager, +1.972.952.9326
Karen Rainish, Exhibit Services Coordinator, +1.972.952.9459
Denise Startz, Exhibit Services Coordinator, + 1.972.952.1129
OTC Sales
Kirk Colligan, +1.972.952.9516
Joan Payne, +1.972.952.9356
Jim Klingele, +1.713.779.9595 ext. 612
Sponsoring Organizations
 |
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) – AAPG has been a leading organization for the science of geology worldwide. AAPG fosters scientific research and promotes technology in the field of geology. | |
 |
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) – AIChE is key for the advanced chemical engineering professional. Founded in 1908, the organization fosters and disseminates chemical engineering knowledge to support professional and personal growth of its members. | |
 |
American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) – AIME was founded in 1871 and since grown to include 4 member societies. The organization was founded to disseminate significant knowledge of engineering and the arts and sciences involved in the production and use of minerals, metals, and energy sources. | |
 |
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – Founded in 1852, ASCE represents members of the civil engineering profession worldwide, and is America’s oldest national engineering society. | |
 |
ASME International Petroleum Technology Institute (ASME-PD) – Founded in 1880, ASME International is a nonprofit educational and technical organization serving a worldwide membership. |
|
 |
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Oceanic and Engineering Society (IEEE-OES) – IEEE is a technical professional association. The Oceanic and Engineering Society (OES) division of IEEE supports OTC. | |
 |
Marine Technology Society (MTS) – MTS was incorporated in June 1963 to allow members of academia, government and industry to have a common forum for the exchange of information and ideas for its worldwide membership. | |
 |
Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) – SEG promotes the science of geophysics and the education of exploration geophysicists. | |
 |
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration Inc. (SME) – SME was founded in 1871 as a member society of AIME. SME provides the mining and minerals community with an information exchange for professional development. | |
 |
Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) – Founded in 1893, SNAME serves worldwide members in the maritime and offshore industries. | |
 |
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) SPE serves members in 118 countries worldwide. SPE is a key resource for technical knowledge related to the oil and gas exploration and production industry and provides services through its publications, conferences, workshops and forums. | |
 |
The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society (TMS) – TMS encompasses the entire range of materials and engineering, and provides forums for the exchange of such information. |
Endorsing Organizations
 |
International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) | |
 |
Petroleum Equipment Suppliers Association (PESA) |
Supporting Organizations
***
My Note –
Every one of those sponsors listed above who have been co-opted by the oil industry as a means to get their right to “drill, baby, drill” as so eloquently stated by someone I won’t name here because my ability to cuss about it exceeds my ability to express it using the English language – needs to get at least one email or thousands from regular American people who have something to say about this.
And, I don’t mean for anybody to spam their inboxes – I mean phone calls, emails, site comments on their blogs, facebook comments to their executives and programs – expressing the outrage and indignation and intolerance we have for this occurring in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of their work, their profits, their “efforts”, their teams, their negligence, their failure to be conscientious in their work, their narrowly-focused insane drive for greed driven profits at the exclusion of all else, and an explanation of the fact that we know their efforts and pursuits have directly resulted in this disaster, (and significant other disasters.)
It might be helpful to explain it in terms they can understand whatever that is – but when the State of the Union show on CNN earlier today showed an inset with the Chief Operating Officer of BP saying that they had done everything they could – it occurred to me that it might be like the Goldman Sachs and Wall Street companies who just don’t get anything in the reasoned analysis of it expressed in the English language.
The sponsors and participants in the above conference and others – are not interested in what the problem is – and neither are the mine owners who allowed the safety issues to destroy the lives of twenty-nine people recently.
And the greatest source of the problem seems to be the continuing insistence on the narrowly-focused goal of profits at the exclusion of all else in every decision, every process, every choice, every option placed on the menu of options for anything and in every remediation option after it all goes to hell and costs lives.
That is unacceptable.
I don’t care if it is fashionable to do it that way, accepted to teach it that way, thought to be appropriate across every sector of financial industries and business, or considered to be rational. It isn’t rational. And every one of those people involved in thinking that way being part of a massive group who thinks that way and agrees with each other – still doesn’t make it right, or appropriate, or rational, or best for America.
And, I’ve had it with engineering being compromised for those profits, with regulators being co-opted by those in businesses and industries making profits from shoddy crap and shady practices, with academics supporting that same twisted thinking and generally, the denial of the value of human life and integrity suggested by all of it.
And, IT IS time to tell them so in every single place that there is to do it and explain it to them such that they can “get the message” that it won’t be tolerated by the American people nor by the people of the World any longer.
It was wrong for them to do it that way. It was and is, dangerous. It costs human lives and well-being. It is destructive and has costs associated with that destruction which are experienced long after their fool-ass stupid decisions for their own profits . . .
Just don’t even get me started – I could make money by robbing your livelihoods too and destroy your lives in the process and damage your community beyond repair and permanently, irreparably destroy the generations before us – at least as well as they have already done – any of us could. But, we don’t do it that way. And, we don’t do it that way for a reason.
– cricketdiane
If I have to – I will explain that reason. Suffice it to say that although it is echoed by religions, it is not based in “religiosity.” But a part of what goes with it is – don’t fuck up what you didn’t create and can’t replace.
***
http://cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/05/01/nr.ott.oil.debate.cnn
Video of interview with Riki Ott, Marine Toxicologist on CNN website
***
I’m going to start another post – CNN a few minutes ago showed a map of the spill that was about three times larger and more extensive than the maps shown above in this post. I’m going to go find it and put it on the next post, along with the words uttered by Goldman Sachs leader that admitted he knows they are influencing the markets by what they’ve been doing which was probably an inadvertent admission, but nonetheless – there it is.
– cricketdiane, 05-02-10, (05-01-10)
2BE – controversial dispersant agent that is toxic to wildlife – causes kidney damage, mutation, dangers to fish, turtles and other marine life – on CNN right now – who was it that said that? But it did have the name of the chemical.
He said, “We rarely clean up more than 15 – 20% of a spill on a calm day, and we haven’t had a calm day.” Mr. Richard Charter, Senior Policy Marine something . . . have to go back and look it up, I’m not fast enough.
***
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