PrintJanuary 18, 2011
Gulf Oil Spill More a Man-Caused Economic than Environmental Disaster
Last April, an environmental disaster occurred that remained in the headlines for months. With each day, a new estimate seemed to be offered regarding the impact this event would have upon the Gulf region. You recall that event, don't you? It was the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the resulting oil spill. Now, a mere nine months later, consider the actual extent of the environmental and economic damage versus what was expected or warned of at the time the rig exploded.In a study released earlier this month, a team of scientists stated that the natural gas released by the oil spill had almost completely disappeared. According to the study, tiny deep-water microbes have consumed the natural gas, methane, and other oil constituents released by the oil spill. The study estimated that 0.01% (one ten-thousandth) of the methane released from the accident actually remained in the ocean. It appears that the explosion and seepage of oil...(Read Full Article)
