Update:
Today BP has lowered the 'funnel' device down onto the leaking well. It is estimated to take 2 additional days to be able to connect a pipe to the funnel in order to facilitate the recovery of this oil by ship and minimize the spilling of oil into the gulf. This funnel is essential a 100 ton box of steel and concrete, which will cap most of the well at depth on the sea floor. However, this will not stop the oil leak completely, it has been estimated to limit the spread by 85%. So instead of 5000 barrels a day the spill will have been reduced to more like 750 barrels or approximately 30,000 gallons a day. This doesn't stop the leak, but it reduces it, showing progress, limiting the effects to wildlife that have been predicted. (BBC article with map and images)
Wildlife Effected:
News reports
have documented that the Brenton National Wildlife Reserve has been closed to the public due to the slick reaching the outer most shores. Only cleanup crews are allowed into the reserve to try and protect and clean affected coastal areas and nesting sea birds. Furthermore, the marshes of the Chandeleur Islands have been impacted by the oil spill. The Chandeleur Islands are of particular importance to the Gulf fishing industry. We will have to wait and see what the effects are of this impact. (guardian article #1 and #2) Sea birds have already felt the effects of the oil and they are estimated to be the most vulnerable. The extent of the impacts to the sea birds will likely be related to how much of the coastal marsh area are impacted by the spill.
Conclusions:
Unfortunately we will not know if this strategy has been successful for sometime, likely not till early next week. One report I read says that if the piping port of this funnel becomes clogged it could cause yet another explosion, causing the funnel to fail, without stopping the leak and potentially causing more damage to the leaking well pipe producing a greater leak. This funnel will not contain all of the leaks, one will remain and if the first funnel strategy is successful a second funnel will be deployed to contain the remaining leak. I am not certain if both funnels will completely stop the spread of oil in the Gulf, from the leaking well, or if it will just greatly reduce the amounts released to the Gulf, my hunch says its likely the later. This leak and its potential to cause a greater spill likely won't be stopped until this well is finally capped by the drilling of the relief well. However, any leaking oil from a man made cause is too much in my opinion, and why greater mitigation efforts were not readily available the entire time this exploration well was being drilled is out of my realm of understanding, and makes very little sense.
For those who are really curious, here is an article which briefly describes some of the worlds worst oil spills. The worst spill of this list actually occurred in the Gulf in 1979 and it was also an oil exploration well that went uncapped for many many months and ended up releasing an estimated 147 million gallons of crude. The numbers in this report are a little deceiving being that they are reported in tonnes of oil. I guess, if nothing else this should be looked at from a mindset that while oil spills are very destructive nature has a way of dealing with those stresses. It also goes to show that the Gulf has been subject to great environmental injustices and will likely continue to be. Its amazing to me that there is still so much wildlife present in a place that has been so thoroughly tested and pushed to its ecological limits. ( Article)
Below is a youtube video for your viewing pleasure. Here is a link to some striking images of the event. (link)
Thanks for reading.
Today BP has lowered the 'funnel' device down onto the leaking well. It is estimated to take 2 additional days to be able to connect a pipe to the funnel in order to facilitate the recovery of this oil by ship and minimize the spilling of oil into the gulf. This funnel is essential a 100 ton box of steel and concrete, which will cap most of the well at depth on the sea floor. However, this will not stop the oil leak completely, it has been estimated to limit the spread by 85%. So instead of 5000 barrels a day the spill will have been reduced to more like 750 barrels or approximately 30,000 gallons a day. This doesn't stop the leak, but it reduces it, showing progress, limiting the effects to wildlife that have been predicted. (BBC article with map and images)
Wildlife Effected:
News reports
have documented that the Brenton National Wildlife Reserve has been closed to the public due to the slick reaching the outer most shores. Only cleanup crews are allowed into the reserve to try and protect and clean affected coastal areas and nesting sea birds. Furthermore, the marshes of the Chandeleur Islands have been impacted by the oil spill. The Chandeleur Islands are of particular importance to the Gulf fishing industry. We will have to wait and see what the effects are of this impact. (guardian article #1 and #2) Sea birds have already felt the effects of the oil and they are estimated to be the most vulnerable. The extent of the impacts to the sea birds will likely be related to how much of the coastal marsh area are impacted by the spill.Conclusions:
Unfortunately we will not know if this strategy has been successful for sometime, likely not till early next week. One report I read says that if the piping port of this funnel becomes clogged it could cause yet another explosion, causing the funnel to fail, without stopping the leak and potentially causing more damage to the leaking well pipe producing a greater leak. This funnel will not contain all of the leaks, one will remain and if the first funnel strategy is successful a second funnel will be deployed to contain the remaining leak. I am not certain if both funnels will completely stop the spread of oil in the Gulf, from the leaking well, or if it will just greatly reduce the amounts released to the Gulf, my hunch says its likely the later. This leak and its potential to cause a greater spill likely won't be stopped until this well is finally capped by the drilling of the relief well. However, any leaking oil from a man made cause is too much in my opinion, and why greater mitigation efforts were not readily available the entire time this exploration well was being drilled is out of my realm of understanding, and makes very little sense.
For those who are really curious, here is an article which briefly describes some of the worlds worst oil spills. The worst spill of this list actually occurred in the Gulf in 1979 and it was also an oil exploration well that went uncapped for many many months and ended up releasing an estimated 147 million gallons of crude. The numbers in this report are a little deceiving being that they are reported in tonnes of oil. I guess, if nothing else this should be looked at from a mindset that while oil spills are very destructive nature has a way of dealing with those stresses. It also goes to show that the Gulf has been subject to great environmental injustices and will likely continue to be. Its amazing to me that there is still so much wildlife present in a place that has been so thoroughly tested and pushed to its ecological limits. ( Article)
Below is a youtube video for your viewing pleasure. Here is a link to some striking images of the event. (link)
Thanks for reading.
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