It seems this latest attempt by BP to stop the oil from continuing to gush out of what’s left of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico has failed. They did what is called a ‘top kill,’ which is the process of pumping a huge amount of mud and cement into the leak in hopes of stopping it.
BP stockpiled 50,000 barrels of the manufactured mud and cement, which was pumped down 5,000 feet into the leak at high pressure from barges above, according to reports from The Associated Press.
The U.S. Geological Society estimates that since the rig’s explosion on April 20th, oil has been gushing into the Gulf at a rate of between 12,000 barrels (504,000 gallons or 1.9 million liters) to 25,000 barrels per day.
At the most conservative estimates, a total of nearly 19 million gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf so far, compared to when the Exxon Valdez ran aground in 1989, spilling nearly 11 million gallons.
The current numbers make this spill the worst in the nation’s history, and the cleanup efforts being made can be considered only slightly better than the problem. If the effects from the Exxon Valdez disaster are any indication, the damages from this disaster will be felt for decades to come.
Concerns are growing for the welfare of birds such as these pelicans, flying over an oil-stained beach in Louisiana. Photo courtesy of BBC News.
Right now, BP is using a dispersant called Corexit to break up the oil that has already been spilled. Adhering to a directive, Douglas J. Suttles, chief executive officer of BP PLC sent a report to the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explaining the company’s clean up efforts.
BP has an inventory of 246,380 gallons of Corexit that is available for immediate use, and the manufacturer is able to produce an additional 68,000 gallons per day, which Mr. Suttles says, “is sufficient to meet all anticipated needs at the site.”
Government officials say they aren’t taking BP’s safety claims at face value. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson spoke at a press conference earlier this week, saying that “EPA scientists have been tasked with conducting parallel, independent tests to determine if BP’s argument that Corexit remains the best alternative is accurate and supported by science.”
Ms. Jackson also told the audience that, “Dispersants continue to be the best of two very difficult choices, but in all this, it is critical to remember that the number one enemy is oil. The steps we have taken are in full recognition of our tradeoffs.
“We know that dispersants are less toxic than oil. We know that surface use of dispersants decreases the risk to shorelines and organism at the surface. And, we know that dispersants breakdown over weeks rather than remaining for several years as untreated oil might.”
Oil streaks in the Gulf of Mexico near Brush Island, La. Photo courtesy of BBC News.
To address current concerns, as of May 2nd, in an effort to protect the public from eating seafood that may be contaminated, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration has closed a portion of the federal waters affected by the spill to commercial and recreational fishing.
This closure area now includes nearly 20 percent of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, largely between Louisiana state waters at the mouth of the Mississippi and the waters off Florida’s Pensacola Bay.
This is a massive economic blow to the region. To understand the scope of the current loss, in 2008, commercial fisherman in the Gulf harvested more than 1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish, and approximately 5.7 million recreational fisherman took about 5.7 million fishing trips in the Gulf, according to information from the U.S. Department of the Commerce.
To help alleviate some of the financial devastation, U.S. Small Business Administration so far has approved 15 economic injury assistance loans totaling $571,000 for small businesses in the Gulf Coast region. The agency has also granted deferments on 64 existing SBA disaster loans in the region.
The SBA also says that it is offering economic injury loans and deferrals on existing loans to fishing and fishing-dependent small businesses as a result of the oil spill. Homeowners in the region who have existing SBA disaster home loans can also request a deferment if their business or employment has been impacted by the spill.
BP is continuing to process claims through its website and helpline at: 800-440-0858. The company reports that 25,227 claims have been opened, to which $29.4 millions has been disbursed.
The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced that anyone who has already pursued a claim with BP and isn’t satisfied with the resolution can call the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance at: 800-280-7118.
Anyone that would like to volunteer in the cleanup effort or report an oiled shoreline can call : 866-448-5816.
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