Coast Guard: tar balls wash up on Ala. island

[G_j]

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/05/08/general-energy-us-gulf-oil-spill_7588860.html
Associated Press

Coast Guard: tar balls wash up on Ala. island
By NOAKI SCHWARTZ and HARRY R. WEBER , 05.08.10, 04:25 PM EDT

ON THE GULF OF MEXICO -- A Coast Guard official says tar balls that are believed to be from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill are washing up on an Alabama island.

Coast Guard chief warrant officer Adam Wine said about a half dozen tar balls had been collected by Saturday afternoon at Dauphin Island. He says the substance needs to be tested, but officials think it came from the oil spill.

The barrier island is at the mouth of Mobile Bay and about three miles from the coast.

Word of tar balls washing ashore came as a BP ( BP - news - people ) PLC official said that icelike crystals were causing problems with an oil containment box that had been placed over the massive leak about 50 miles from the Louisiana coast. BP chief operating officer Doug Suttles says it will probably take the next two days to study the problem.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

[zeemike]

1. Ice like crystals?

Could that mean Methane hydrait?...that could complicate the situation for sure.

[G_j]

2. a bit more here,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8296977

[zeemike]

3. I just saw that.

And those hydrates present another problem...as it come to the surface they change into natural gas and water and so they would need to deal with all that gas as well as the oil.

[G_j]

4. it's amazing how completely unprepared they are

they are in uncharted territory.

[SpiralHawk]

5. Hello AP. It's not a spill. Get a clue. Stow the propaganda.

It's a frikking gushing corporate boner.

Cover up much, AP?

Sheeesh.

[G_j]

7. & it's more than just spin

it's 100% inaccurate.

[amborin]

6. such an avoidable catastrophe; if only the Int Dept had done the required EIS

[G_j]

8. they have no proven technology for dealing w/ this gusher

but of course, that didn't stop them from drilling...