Majority of spilled oil in Gulf of Mexico unaccounted for in government data

[kpete]

Source: Washington Post

Majority of spilled oil in Gulf of Mexico unaccounted for in government data

By David A. Fahrenthold and Leslie Tamura
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 29, 2010


Back in May, BP's chief executive told a British newspaper that "the Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean," and the vast amounts of oil and chemical dispersants dumped into it were small by comparison. After he said that, BP's well leaked for two more months. Hayward's upbeat assessment was cast as one of many gaffes committed on his way to resignation.

Now, 14 days after the well was closed and 100 days after the blowout, U.S. government scientists are working on calculations that could shed some light on Hayward's analysis (even if they can't shed light on why he said it). They are trying to figure out where all the oil went.

Up to 4 million barrels (167 million gallons), the vast majority of the spill, remains unaccounted for in government statistics. Some of it has, most likely, been cleaned up by nature. Other amounts may be gone from the water, but they could have taken on a second life as contaminants in the air, or in landfills around the Gulf Coast.

And some oil is still out there -- probably mixed with chemical dispersants. Some scientists have described it floating in underwater clouds, which one compared to a toxic fog.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/28/AR2010072806135.html?hpid=topnews

[gratuitous]

1. Mission accomplished for BP

Remember, BP is on the hook for a set fine ($4,300) per barrel of oil. Now the numbers can be disputed, argued over, wrangled, and if I had to guess, I'd guess that BP will be hiring some very good legal talent to challenge every jot and tittle of any citation issued against them. The case will drag on for years, if not decades, with BP not paying a dime. The lessons of the Exxon Valdez disaster were not wasted on Big Oil.

[Dr.Phool]

2. Look under the surface, at all the plumes, assholes.

It's thousands of feet down mixed with dispersants.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann/#38458741

[jpak]

3. yup - and they will claim that EPA said it was OK to use those dispersants

yup

[driver8]

4. Exactly...

Oh, it magically disappeared!

We're saved!