UPDATE: Corexit and the Oil That's Left, the Worst is Yet to Come

by Ellinorianne

Please rec the BP Catastrophe Liveblog Mothership: 70

The headlines are piling up and the evidence is frightening to say the least even though the EPA is saying everything's fine, Citing Tests, E.P.A. Says It Was Wise to Use Oil Dispersant.

Spraying dispersants on oily water in the Gulf of Mexico doesn’t make the mixture any more toxic than the water was with Louisiana sweet crude alone, the Environmental Protection Agency said Monday.

Paul Anastas, the agency’s assistant administrator for research and development, said that the toxicity of the mix of oil and dispersant sprayed to combat the gulf oil spill was generally in the range of moderate, comparable to the effects of the oil.

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Excessive Use of Dispersants? EPA Does What BP Tells it What to Do

by Ellinorianne

Just yesterday Congressman Markey is asking if more dispersants were used than BP disclosed to the public.  There have been a lot of questions surrounding the use of dispersants, from their level of toxicity and the usefulness to them in a spill of this size.

I wrote about the mix of using booming and dispersants and how people actually questioned doing both at the same time (although there has been a lot of talk as well how booming was bust and not done very well either).  But rounding up dispersed oil in booms makes no sense.  The whole operation by BP seemed rather, well, highly questionable.  The technology for drilling had come a long way, but not the technology for dealing with oil spills and the health of the workers for cleaning them up.

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BP to offer claimants a One-time Payment

by jamess

I think "Breaking" is the correct adjacent ...

BP offers one-off payouts to stem Gulf oil spill lawsuits
Lump-sum compensation offered in return for waiving the right to sue,
but uncertainty remains for those indirectly affected
Tim Webb, guardian.co.uk -- August 1, 2010

BP will begin its legal offensive this month to cap its liabilities from the Gulf of Mexico disaster by offering those affected one-off compensation payouts in return for them waiving the right to sue.
[...]
The fund does not cap BP's liabilities at $20bn. But privately the company believes that it will not have to pay out anywhere near this sum. BP has hired a battery of lawyers to protect itself, and so far it has paid out $261m in claims.
[...]
According to BP, 1.8m gallons of dispersant have been pumped into the Gulf. Scientists say that the resulting high toxicity levels could harm marine life for years to come.

Hmmm ... Seems BP is a bit worried about the long-term effects of that 1.8 Millions of gallons of Corexit, they used -- to help make that spill problem disappear?

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Houston, We got a New Problem -- BP's Oil has ALL Disappeared!?

by jamess

OH  NOES!

Just when you thought the worse was over ...

BP to scale back some oil response units, new leader pledges to stay for long haul
by Doug Mouton / Northshore Bureau Chief
wwltv.com -- July 30, 2010

How much oil is in the Gulf now is up for debate.  Several Louisiana leaders, including St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis have argued that million of gallons of oil are underwater, waiting to surface.

"We haven't found that," [Bob] Dudley [new BP CEO] said.

Dudley said six ships and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working to locate underwater oil.

"It's a big hunt going on right now," Dudley said. "It's going to keep going on."

Hey BOB! -- MAYBE you haven't "found it" because of 1.8 Million Gallons of Toxic Dispersants you managed to spray -- Kept much of it Underwater, eh?

They'll find ALL that missing Oil -- just give them some more time ... that's all they ask ...

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Project Gulf Impact - Telling Their Stories

by Ellinorianne

There's a lot of speculation about the long term impact of the oil left behind from the massive oil gusher in the Gulf.  There are still questions about the relief wells, the cap and whether the oil will really be held at bay for the long term.

And then you have the millions of gallons of dispersant, Corexit, that was sprayed in the air and over water, it was used profusely in a way that hadn't been done in any previous spills.

There have been dairies about the health of the workers, the residents, etc. but not many.  I wrote about the early diagnosis of the health issues facing workers and residents being a syndrome known as tilt.  The people suffering are being shouted down by skeptics, you can see it my diary that I reference.  The more doubt given to their symptoms and their health issues, the less BP, etc. will have to actually pay and be responsible for what they are doing.

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The Exploding Water of the Gulf

by Scarce

If you aren't pissed off enough already with the slow-motion disaster in the Gulf, watching this news report from over the weekend might force you to let out a few more expletives. The video is genuine but still unbelievable.

Via WKRG in Mobile, Alabama-Pensacola, Florida.

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NOAA is NOT withholding data or methodology

by Darryl House

I read a disturbing diary by FishOutofWater that accuses NOAA of withholding data from the public while providing that data to BP.

I have great respect for FishOutofWater but this is patently false.

I have no argument with criticisms of the EPA's decision on dispersants, in fact I agree with him on that point.

That diary seems to center on the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) data, conclusions, and recommendations, which are ongoing and, for the purposes of this refutation, irrelevant.

NRDA is a legal process, not a field research effort.

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NOAA & BP Keep Key Oil Data from Scientists & Public

by FishOutofWater

Scientists have been refused access to key data that NOAA has given to BP. Data access is necessary to plan research, investigate damage, and assess critical environmental effects. University researchers and other independent scientists have requested data from the government so that they can track the oil and its effects on the water chemistry and ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico, but NOAA has refused to release the data.

Independent scientists, and science bloggers including me, have been strongly questioning the use of dispersants in deep water because dispersed oil in deep water could potentially cause oil plumes dead zones that might last for years. The EPA allowed BP to use dispersants in 5000 ft. deep water despite the lack of data on the effects of dispersing oil in deep water.

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About those New EPA Dispersant Tests

by jamess

Perhaps you heard about the recent EPA Press Release, regarding latest Toxicity Testing results for Dispersants.   Depending on which sound bite you heard, it almost sounded like Corexit got a clean bill of health.

Confused?  I was too.   And since I had previously written a well-received diary,

Corexit Toxicity Tests not so hot, When Mixed with Oil
by jamess  -- May 30, 2010

which dove into the Toxicity Data, that the EPA originally cited as credible only 2 months ago, I figured I should try to figure out what was up with the 'New and Improved' Dispersant Testing.

What follows is my assessment of what's happening now, including some relevant links.

I'll try to keep it brief. (I hate long diaries, lol)

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No more trust for BP on dispersants.

by the girl

It's time we talk about dispersants. We need to rip into this. Pull it apart. Look at it. Examine it. Turn it over. Upside down. Inside out. We know this oil clean-up is a total clusterfuck. We know that. We see it. Dead guys signing off on clean-up plans. Walruses in the Gulf and magic fairies. We know this. We know BP can't lay boom correctly. It had no plan. None. Nada. Nothing. We KNOW this. WE KNOW THIS ABOUT BP. We know it has lied, covered up, bullshitted, spun and screwed us. So why, in the name of everything on this planet ARE WE TRUSTING IT WITH THESE DISPERSANTS?

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Move over Brave New World -- BioRemediation is a Test Tube away

by jamess

I hate to be a fearmonger (really I do). I'm a fact-driven guy, on most occasions. But this new plan on the Bio-drawing boards, has me a little worried. Especially considering the "kitchen sink" approach, that has been taken so far, to help "disperse" the mess in the Gulf ... If only this tale was from 'The Onion' ... Microbes developing appetite for oil Evolugate seeks approval to use its life forms to help clean up the Gulf oil spill. By Anthony Clark, Business editor, gainesville.com -- Monday, June 7, 2010 A Gainesville startup company is developing "designer microbes" specially tailored to the Gulf oil spill in hopes of helping cleanup efforts. Evolugate LLC has developed a technology to speed the process of evolution in microbes used to create biofuel and to control insects. In recent weeks, it has turned its attention to cleaning the Gulf oil spill. [...] Once the microbes are ready, Evolugate will need approval from the Environmental Protection Agency. Well, at least, the EPA will need to give the Green Light first ...

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Other Dispersants, Twice as Effective, Half as Toxic, and Not yet Used

by jamess

Dispersants add to Gulf spill’s toxic threats Susan Buchanan -- June 1, 2010 The EPA on May 10 authorized BP to use two dispersants-COREXIT 9500 and COREXIT EC9527A, distributed by the Tennessee and Texas units of Nalco Co. in Illinois. BP had already applied those products at the spill site for nearly two weeks. As concerns about COREXIT grew, however, the EPA asked BP on May 19 to find a less-toxic dispersant within 24 hours, and to start using its replacement in 72 hours. BP answered that it wanted to stick with COREXIT. Frustrated EPA and Coast Guard officials said the company's response was inadequate, and told BP to start reducing its use of surface dispersants. But in a decision questioned by some scientists, officials said BP's subsea or underwater dispersant use, authorized in mid-May, could continue. Last week, the EPA and the Coast Guard said that they would start calling the shots about BP's dispersant use and that COREXIT applications could be scaled back by as much as 50% to 80%. COREXIT should be scaled back to 0% -- Especially since BETTER options are available NOW.

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Robot Subs Seek Oil off Florida Coast

by bob zimway

The appalling lack of data on the size, location, and characteristics of the infamous oil plumes in the Gulf led me to explore the efforts of a marine sciences org named Mote Marine that's conducting data collection of oil off the Florida coast.

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Nalco: Profiting from the Gulf environmental catastrophe

by Eclectablog

Ahh, Nalco. Such a truly wonderful chemical company you are. Making over $100 MILLION PER QUARTER in profits. And such a caring, environmentally and socially-conscious company, too. Why, they only sold $40 MILLION worth of dispersants in one month. Heck that's nuthin'...

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BP Won't Change Dispersants In Oil Spill Despite EPA

by slinkerwink

That's the latest news after the EPA issued their directive to BP on Thursday in finding a less toxic dispersant. Here's more from here: BP has told the Environmental Protection Agency that it cannot find a safe, effective and available dispersant to use instead of Corexit, and will continue to use that chemical application to help break up the growing spill in the Gulf of Mexico. .... BP spokesman Scott Dean said Friday that BP had replied with a letter "that outlines our findings that none of the alternative products on the EPA's National Contingency Plan Product Schedule list meets all three criteria specified in yesterday's directive for availability, toxicity and effectiveness." Here's theNYT article about less toxic dispersants below the jump:

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About Corexit and Warm Water Oil Spills--More Questions Than Answers

by akmk

While the U.S. government is waiting for BP to hand over information to them, perhaps it's time for us to do a little investigation on our own. What do we know about Corexit the toxic dispersant being used by BP? And why isn't the entire industrial/oil/political complex behind bars already?

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