BP Oil Spill

On April 20th an explosion and fire took place on an oil rig that left 11 workers missing is causing a much larger dilemma than expected.

The rig sank 2 days later and on the 28th a leak was spotted. A well in the Gulf of Mexico has been leaking at was once said to be a rate of 1,000 to 5,000 gallons a day and may now be up to 60,000 barrels, which totals in 2.5 million gallons per day. With the rapid amount of oil spilling into the ocean, it is said that this oil spill may out due, The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.

To cover up the initial place of leaking, the cost to BP said to be, 300 million dollars. The oil slick is 600 square miles, and could reach up to Louisiana shores. Not only is this extremly costly, but our wildlife is being effected as well. Whales, tuna and shrimp; dozens of species of birds; land animals, and amphibians are being threatened by this oil spill.

Oil booms are being used to clean up some of the mess. The booms are nylons stuffed with hair and fur that are tied together and used to surround and prevent the oil from further spreading. Over 750 vessels are involved in the response effort, including skimmers, tugs, barges and recovery vessels. The are taking the oil that has reached sea level and in-situ burning it, In-Situ is a process that consists of corralling concentrated parts of the spill in a 500-foot-long fireproof boom, moving it to another location and burning it.

When I first heard about this oil spill, was bout early last week. I could not believe I had found out so late. More importantly, i could not believe that this was not being talked about amongst people around me? I began to talk about it at work, and how scary this situation really is. When you look at the big picture, you can find it easy to notice several parts of the economy just decline even faster. Not only is our wildlife at risk, but so is our economy. Forty percent of all fish harvested in the U.S. (excluding Hawaii and Alaska) comes from the Gulf of Mexico, which now contains an oil slick visible from space. Another major concern is if the oil flows into estuaries and oyster beds, which will cause a major negative effect to wildlife and the seafood industry. I can see the prices rising on sea food, and illness as well if seafood providers are not taking extra precautions.