Thursday, July 29, 2010

The BP Spill: Has the Damage Been Exaggerated? - TIME

The BP Spill: Has the Damage Been Exaggerated? - TIME:

Monday, July 26, 2010

CNN: Based on what admiral said “Is this thing over?” — The real question is when does the underwater oil rise to the surface (VIDEO) | Florida Oil Spill Law

CNN: Based on what admiral said “Is this thing over?” — The real question is when does the underwater oil rise to the surface (VIDEO) | Florida Oil Spill Law

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Giant oil skimmer 'A Whale' deemed a bust for Gulf of Mexico spill | NOLA.com

Giant oil skimmer 'A Whale' deemed a bust for Gulf of Mexico spill | NOLA.com: "He said BP's use of chemical dispersants prevented A Whale, billed as the world's largest skimmer, from collecting a 'significant amount' of oil during a week of testing that ended Friday."

“A Whale” Operational Review Completed | Restore the Gulf

“A Whale” Operational Review Completed | Restore the Gulf

OpEdNews - Article: BP Blown out well should not be pressure tested. Chris Landau (geologist)

OpEdNews - Article: BP Blown out well should not be pressure tested. Chris Landau (geologist): "Mark Hafle, BP's senior drilling engineer testified to the MMS on May 28, 2010 that the well had lost integrity and that thousands of barrels of mud had been lost down this well during drilling. This meant that the formation integrity had blown out. Reports at the hearings in May also indicated that the LOW positive pressure tests on the day of the blowout on April 20, 2010 had passed but the negative pressure tests had failed, so the well was not properly sealed. This happened within a few hours of the blowout."

YouTube - Chris Landau: BP Cap will not stop leak from ocean floor

YouTube - Chris Landau: BP Cap will not stop leak from ocean floor

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Oil Drum | BP's Deepwater Oil Spill - Starting the Testing Program - and Open Thread

The Oil Drum | BP's Deepwater Oil Spill - Starting the Testing Program - and Open Thread

BP begins testing new cap over Gulf oil leak EarthLink - Top News

BP begins testing new cap over Gulf oil leak EarthLink - Top News: "'What we didn't want to do is compound that problem by making an irreversible mistake,' he said at the end of a 24-hour roller-coaster of hopes raised, hopes dashed and hopes raised again along the Gulf Coast.

The cap — a 75-ton metal stack of pipes and valves — was lowered onto the well on Monday in hopes of either bottling up the oil inside the well machinery, or capturing it and funneling it to the surface. But before BP could test the equipment, the government intervened because of second thoughts about whether the buildup of pressure from the gushing oil could rupture the walls of the well and make the leak worse."

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Is BP Readying A Nuke 'Super Weapon' For The Gulf?

Is BP Readying A Nuke 'Super Weapon' For The Gulf?: "While the world watches BP's attempt to contain the oil gusher at the former Deepwater Horizon site, company officials have given the green light on an astounding plan to use what is known as a nuclear EPFCG charge if all else fails."

I am sorry to report well is crippled down hole very long read, page 1

I am sorry to report well is crippled down hole very long read, page 1: "The well bore structure is compromised 'Down hole'.

That is something which is a 'Worst nightmare' conclusion to reach. While many have been saying this for some time as with any complex disaster of this proportion many have 'said' a lot of things with no real sound reasons or evidence for jumping to such conclusions, well this time it appears that they may have jumped into the right place..."

YouTube - BP Oil pipe can't be capped!.flv

YouTube - BP Oil pipe can't be capped!.flv

Former BP Contractor Turned Whistleblower

YouTube - WDSU_07-09-2010_22.02.19.wmv

YouTube - Once pristine Island east of Grand Isle Destroyed by BP.MOV

YouTube - Once pristine Island east of Grand Isle Destroyed by BP.MOV

My Boating 'Experience' Into the Gulf Offshore Pt. Charlotte FL - Toxic Air - Red Tide/Flu Symptoms *UPDATE Hydrogen Sulfide Gas

My Boating 'Experience' Into the Gulf Offshore Pt. Charlotte FL - Toxic Air - Red Tide/Flu Symptoms *UPDATE Hydrogen Sulfide Gas:

Breaking News: Due to Public Outcry, Coast Guard Rescinds Ban on Reporters and Photographers from Oil Spill

Breaking News: Due to Public Outcry, Coast Guard Rescinds Ban on Reporters and Photographers from Oil Spill: "National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen today announced new procedures to allow media free travel within the 20-meter boom safety zones if they have followed simple procedures for credentialing, and provided they follow certain rules and guidelines.

'I have put out a direction that the press are to have clear, unfettered access to this event, with two exceptions -- if there is a safety or security concern,' said Allen. “This boom is critical to the defense of the marshes and the beaches.”

'We need to discriminate between media, which have a reason to be there and somebody who's hanging around when we know that we've had equipment vital to this region damaged,' Allen said."

The TRUTH about the Gulf

The TRUTH about the Gulf: "The BP oil “spill” or “leak” in the Gulf of Mexico is a national nightmare that seems to have no end. In a recent speech, Barry Soetoro (aka Barack Obama) said “There is oil leaking. We need to stop it, and we need to stop it as soon as possible.” Ummmmm...it’s not a leak, Mr. Obama. It’s a volcanic gusher spewing out an Exxon Valdez every two to four days. This is a blow out, an explosion of oil spewing out of the earth under great pressure. In the words of Wilford Brimley in the 1981 movie Absence of Malice, “You had a leak? You call what’s goin’ on around here a leak? Boy, the last time there was a leak like this, Noah built hisself a boat.”"

YouTube - BP Oil Spill Is Corexit to FL. ! Plants and Wildlife.avi

YouTube - BP Oil Spill Is Corexit to FL. ! Plants and Wildlife.avi

BP Testing Delayed on Gulf Oil Fix - CBS News

BP Testing Delayed on Gulf Oil Fix - CBS News: "A pivotal moment in the Gulf oil crisis hit an unexpected snag Tuesday evening when officials announced they needed more time before they could begin choking off the geyser of crude at the bottom of the sea."

Sunday, July 11, 2010

YouTube - GULF RESIDENTS ASSAULTED BY MILITARY AND TOP TEN WANTED KILLERS

YouTube - GULF RESIDENTS ASSAULTED BY MILITARY AND TOP TEN WANTED KILLERS

Oil spill scams: Scammers take advantage of Gulf oil spill - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Oil spill scams: Scammers take advantage of Gulf oil spill - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: "Some people – including the unemployed desperate for jobs – have paid hundreds of dollars for training that they say turned out to be worthless, or unnecessary, or they took a course but now find themselves beholden to the training company that provided it.

They include Misty Gill of Pensacola. After potential employees took a course in hazardous materials training, the company then asked the trainees to pay a hefty fee, Gill filed a complaint to the Florida attorney general's office.

'They have not provided us with work and have asked us to pay a fee of $450 to provide us with our [course certificates],' Gill wrote. She didn't pay the fee and is still looking for a job. 'The oil spill has created scam after scam. Please address this company for its actions.'"

YouTube - Florida Weatherman Covers Up Toxic Rain Bands From Hurricane & BP Oil Leak

YouTube - Florida Weatherman Covers Up Toxic Rain Bands From Hurricane & BP Oil Leak

YouTube - Is COREXIT a masked BIOWEAPON? Shrimpers exposed to Corexit bleeding from the rectum - BP spill

YouTube - Is COREXIT a masked BIOWEAPON? Shrimpers exposed to Corexit bleeding from the rectum - BP spill

*UPDATED* Patches of oily sheen near Miami filmed from 15th floor | Florida Oil Spill Law

*UPDATED* Patches of oily sheen near Miami filmed from 15th floor | Florida Oil Spill Law

YouTube - Gulf Oil Disaster: Reporter On the Scene Claims Evacuation is Imminent

YouTube - Gulf Oil Disaster: Reporter On the Scene Claims Evacuation is Imminent

BP claims progress on new cap as oil spews in Gulf - Yahoo! News

BP claims progress on new cap as oil spews in Gulf - Yahoo! News: "Oil was spewing largely unchecked into the Gulf of Mexico as BP crews claimed progress Sunday in the first stages of replacing a leaky cap with a new containment system they hope will finally catch all the crude from the busted well.
There's no guarantee for such a delicate operation nearly a mile below the water's surface, officials said, and the permanent fix of plugging the well from the bottom remains slated for mid-August."

Doomsday: How BP Gulf disaster may have triggered a world-killing event - by Terrence Aym - Helium

Doomsday: How BP Gulf disaster may have triggered a world-killing event - by Terrence Aym - Helium: "Ominous reports are leaking past the BP Gulf salvage operation news blackout that the disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico may be about to reach biblical proportions.

251 million years ago a mammoth undersea methane bubble caused massive explosions, poisoned the atmosphere and destroyed more than 96 percent of all life on Earth. [1] Experts agree that what is known as the Permian extinction event was the greatest mass extinction event in the history of the world."

Gulf oil spill: Two weekend operations could boost oil collection - CSMonitor.com

Gulf oil spill: Two weekend operations could boost oil collection - CSMonitor.com: "But even with these efforts, stopping the flow of oil altogether is not expected to happen until mid-August. That’s when the first of two relief wells is expected to intersect with the original drill pipe three miles below the surface of the wellhead. Then, the idea is to pour drilling mud and concrete into the point of intervention, which is supposed to push the oil down and permanently plug the opening."

Anadarko rejects BP $272m oil leak bill - Telegraph

Anadarko rejects BP $272m oil leak bill - Telegraph: "Anadarko, a 35pc partner in the well, on Friday refused to pay its $272m (180m) bill outright claiming that BP's actions 'likely represent gross negligence or willful misconduct.'"

Friday, July 9, 2010

Did Oil Kill the Animals Washing Up in the Gulf? - Newsweek

Did Oil Kill the Animals Washing Up in the Gulf? - Newsweek: "According to an official report, of the 1,571 birds, 449 sea turtles, and 54 marine mammals found dead so far, 35 percent, 3 percent, and 6 percent, respectively, clearly had oil on them. “I’ve actually been surprised at the relatively low number of oiled animals being seen so far,” says Michael Ziccardi, director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at the University of California, Davis."

Deadly downpour at Columbus - MinotDailyNews.com | News, sports, business, jobs - Minot Daily News

Deadly downpour at Columbus - MinotDailyNews.com | News, sports, business, jobs - Minot Daily News: "'It just made me ill. The whole shoreline was pretty much solid with dead fish and it was stinking like a lagoon,' said Burau. 'It was just a disaster, a disaster. I've never seen anything like it.'

Short Creek Dam Recreation Area is located approximately seven miles north of Columbus. The reservoir covers 108 acres and entertains everything from fishermen to jet skiers. That wasn't the case over the Fourth."

YouTube - July 8 - Long Beach - Cooking Oil - 100_4066.MOV

YouTube - July 8 - Long Beach - Cooking Oil - 100_4066.MOV

San Francisco Chronicle: Leaked Corexit Information | Before It's News

San Francisco Chronicle: Leaked Corexit Information | Before It's News

Thursday, July 8, 2010

U.S. NAVY EVACUATES GULF : Survivalist News

U.S. NAVY EVACUATES GULF : Survivalist News: "The Navy is obviously worried about either poison from the methane/corexit 9500 mix or a massive methane explosion/tsunami. A tsunami fits with the NOAA blackout of the U.S. tsunami warning system. It also explains why BP is not actively cleaning up the oil on the beaches. Why clean them up if they are going to be gone."

*CAUTION* Restaurants serving Corexit-tainted seafood; CNN reports NO Gulf seafood tested for oil dispersants (VIDEO) | Florida Oil Spill Law

*CAUTION* Restaurants serving Corexit-tainted seafood; CNN reports NO Gulf seafood tested for oil dispersants (VIDEO) | Florida Oil Spill Law

CNN: 128 BP oil cleanup workers sickened in Louisiana; Told not to go to public hospitals (VIDEO) | Florida Oil Spill Law

CNN: 128 BP oil cleanup workers sickened in Louisiana; Told not to go to public hospitals (VIDEO) | Florida Oil Spill Law: "Might BP be trying to hide the risk to cleanup workers? …

Louisiana’s Health Department has reported 128 cleanup workers who have been sickened.

State clinics are telling us something else as well, that cleanup workers are being told to report to BP’s own health clinic on Grand Isle, not to go to state facilities."

Hundreds Of Fishermen Missing Checks From BP - New Orleans News Story - WDSU New Orleans

Hundreds Of Fishermen Missing Checks From BP - New Orleans News Story - WDSU New Orleans: "Hundreds of fishermen from Lake Charles to Moss Point, Miss., were supposed to get checks from BP on Wednesday but didn't.
Wednesday night, their lawyer wanted answers.
Jeffrey Briet represents more than 500 fishermen, and he said the payment system he set up with BP required his clients to be paid every 30 days. Now that process has suddenly changed without warning, Briet said."

BP Oil Spill: Navy Sends MZ-3A Blimp to Survey Gulf of Mexico - ABC News

BP Oil Spill: Navy Sends MZ-3A Blimp to Survey Gulf of Mexico - ABC News: "The Navy has now sent a blimp -- the MZ-3A Airship -- to patrol the shoreline from above, direct skimmers trying to corral floating oil, and look out for wildlife in harm's way.

The MZ-3A, almost identical to blimps used for advertising and bird's-eye views of sporting events, has been brought in from Yuma, Arizona. The Navy says the helium-filled ship, 178 feet long and capable of carrying 10 people or equipment, can stay in the air far longer than helicopters or planes, burning just 10 gallons of fuel an hour at its maximum cruising speed of 55 mph."

Scientists Discover New Fish, Unfortunately it's Covered By the Gulf Spill : TreeHugger

Scientists Discover New Fish, Unfortunately it's Covered By the Gulf Spill : TreeHugger

Boycotting BP gas stations over Gulf oil spill? Experts say you are doing it wrong | MLive.com

Boycotting BP gas stations over Gulf oil spill? Experts say you are doing it wrong | MLive.com: "'You're not going to put a dent in their sales,' Tigchelaar said.
Griffin said BP's not limited to gasoline -- it could have a hand in everything from the components of your shoes to the plastic in your phone.
'There's just no way for you, as a consumer, to boycott a major oil company,' he said."

BP Oil Spill Heading for New York, Simulation Finds | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

BP Oil Spill Heading for New York, Simulation Finds | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Buffett Says BP CEO Hayward Will Have to Go After Oil Spill, Yahoo Reports - Bloomberg

Buffett Says BP CEO Hayward Will Have to Go After Oil Spill, Yahoo Reports - Bloomberg: "Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said no one has an interest in Tony Hayward remaining as chief executive officer of BP Plc after the worst oil spill in U.S. history in the Gulf of Mexico.

“It’s not in BP’s interest to actually continue with him as CEO,” Buffett said in an interview with Yahoo! News and the Huffington Post that was published on Yahoo’s website today. “I don’t know him personally and he may be the most wonderful guy in the world, but it’s not in their interest and not in our country’s interest to have him continue.”"

The oil spill's New Orleans invasion - The Week

The oil spill's New Orleans invasion - The Week: "How did oil get into Lake Pontchartrain?
Despite lines of barges and miles of booms set to block the flow of oil, high winds from last week's Hurricane Alex blew crude into the lake through the narrow Rigolets inlet that connects the lake to the Gulf of Mexico."

Obama team asks BP to explain new sealing plan on oil spill - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency

Obama team asks BP to explain new sealing plan on oil spill - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency: "The White House has sent BP a letter asking if it can safely speed up new capping plans for the Gulf Coast oil spill because of the prospect of bad weather later this summer, and seeking specifics about the company's plans to seal the hole completely."

Capital Punishment: Every Arco station in California is supplied by British Petroleum | FuelTracker

Capital Punishment: Every Arco station in California is supplied by British Petroleum | FuelTracker: "Arco is one of the largest - if not the largest - gasoline retailer in California. Most people are unaware of this, so I have instructed our Web Administrator to change the way we identify Arco stations on this site. So if you live in California and are offended bywhat BP has done, you can inflict capital punishment on BP by avoiding purchases made at Arco stations. A boycott isn't fair to local Arco dealers or employees, who are not responsible for their employer's callow business practices, but the unsavory relationship needs to be made public."

First Amendment Has Been Suspended Video

First Amendment Has Been Suspended Video

YouTube - Obama admin bans press from filming BP oil spill areas in the Gulf

YouTube - Obama admin bans press from filming BP oil spill areas in the Gulf

YouTube - TPN-TV News 7/08/2010

YouTube - TPN-TV News 7/08/2010

BP 2005 Texas City Refinery Blast Victim: BP Keeps 'Killing People' - ABC News

BP 2005 Texas City Refinery Blast Victim: BP Keeps 'Killing People' - ABC News: "BP officials 'didn't get in any trouble for killing people,' said Dean, 49, a former engineering firm worker who, along with his wife and father-in-law, once contracted with BP. 'They're still doing it... You're consumable if you're a blue-collar worker for BP. If you get hurt, they throw a little money at it and go on.'"

Feds: Most Oil Still Not Near Strong Loop Current - ABC News

Feds: Most Oil Still Not Near Strong Loop Current - ABC News: "Government scientists surveyed the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday to determine if oil from a massive spill off Louisiana entered a powerful current that could take it to Florida.

Jane Lubchenco, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said aerial surveys showed some tendrils of light oil close to or already in the loop current, which circulates in the Gulf and takes water south to the Florida Keys and the Gulf Stream. But most oil remained dozens of miles away from the current."

My Way News - Oil's arrival in loop current has Fla. on edge

My Way News - Oil's arrival in loop current has Fla. on edge: "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday that a small portion of the slick from the blown-out undersea well had entered the so-called loop current, a stream of faster moving water that circulates around the Gulf before bending around Florida and up the Atlantic coast. Its arrival may portend a wider environmental catastrophe affecting the Florida Keys and tourist-dotted beaches along that state's east coast."

Gulf Oil Spill 222

Gulf Oil Spill 222: "Could the catastrophic Gulf of Mexico oil rig explosion be part of a larger scheme to “reform” the energy industry, just as the Obama administration has “reformed” healthcare, banking and automobile manufacturers? Worse, is “cap and trade”—possibly the worst legislation ever penned—the ultimate endgame behind this spill, which they are now capitalizing upon?"

Jeff Rense - Hay Used On The 1969 Santa Barbara Spill - Pics

Jeff Rense - Hay Used On The 1969 Santa Barbara Spill - Pics: "The two wise American farmers who presented their hay solution to dealing with the massive, burgeoning Gulf of Mexico oil slick are right on the money."

Scientists: Underwater plume of oil headed out to sea - USATODAY.com

Scientists: Underwater plume of oil headed out to sea - USATODAY.com: "The plume is compact, much thicker than the lighter remnants reaching the surface and suspended in about 3,000 feet of ocean, he said. A deepwater current is dragging it out to sea. The underwater oil cloud is not connected to the surface slick — now the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

'This [underwater] plume is some of the heavier products of the oil that won't reach the surface,' Asper said in a radio-telephone interview from aboard the R/V Pelican, a 116-foot research ship at the site of the spill. 'We think this oil is going to stay down there. It doesn't look like it's coming to the surface.'"

My Way News - BP lowers tube in attempt to siphon spewing oil

My Way News - BP lowers tube in attempt to siphon spewing oil: "At first, BP tried to stop the oil rushing into the Gulf of Mexico by flipping a blowout preventer switch. A week ago, they attempted to capture the leak with a 100-ton box. The latest experiment? Trying to guide a skinny, mile-long tube into the gusher.
BP PLC (BP) technicians were gingerly moving joysticks to guide deep-sea robots and thread the 6-inch tube with a rubber stopper into the 21-inch pipe spewing oil from the ocean floor. That work continued Saturday morning for a second day, BP said."

Scientists find vast unreported oil leak from Deepwater Horizon - Times Online

Scientists find vast unreported oil leak from Deepwater Horizon - Times Online: "A plume of oil 10 miles (16km) long, three miles wide and 300ft thick is pouring into the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico from the ruptured Deepwater Horizon oil rig.

The plume is one of a number that scientists have found gushing into the sea a mile underwater, increasing concerns that the size of the spill could be thousands of times larger than has been previously calculated, according to The New York Times.

“There’s a shocking amount of oil in the deep water, relative to what you see in the surface water,” said Samantha Joye, from the University of Georgia, who is involved in one of the first scientific missions to gather information from the spill. “There’s a tremendous amount of oil in multiple layers, three or four or five layers deep in the water column,” Dr Joye told the newspaper."

Ted Turner: Is God speaking in Gulf Coast spill? – Religion - CNN.com Blogs

Ted Turner: Is God speaking in Gulf Coast spill? – Religion - CNN.com Blogs: "ometimes referred to as “The Mouth of the South,” the CNN founder lashed out against religious believers in the past. He once dubbed Christianity a “religion for losers” and wondered aloud whether the Ash Wednesday observers around him at work were “Jesus freaks.” His marriage to Jane Fonda was rumored to become strained when she started finding religion."

Sex, Lies and Oil Spills

Sex, Lies and Oil Spills: "Bending over for Big Oil became the ideological posture of the Bush White House, and, under Cheney's cruel whip, the practice trickled down through the regulatory bureaucracy."

Stunning Underwater Video of Oil Leak - Video - FoxNews.com

Stunning Underwater Video of Oil Leak - Video - FoxNews.com

Calculations of Gulf Spill Volume Are Questioned - NYTimes.com

Calculations of Gulf Spill Volume Are Questioned - NYTimes.com: "scientists and environmental groups are raising sharp questions about that estimate, declaring that the leak must be far larger. They also criticize BP for refusing to use well-known scientific techniques that would give a more precise figure.

The criticism escalated on Thursday, a day after the release of a video that showed a huge black plume of oil gushing from the broken well at a seemingly high rate. BP has repeatedly claimed that measuring the plume would be impossible.

The figure of 5,000 barrels a day was hastily produced by government scientists in Seattle. It appears to have been calculated using a method that is specifically not recommended for major oil spills."

8 Reasons Why The Pain From The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill Is Going To Be Felt For Decades

8 Reasons Why The Pain From The Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill Is Going To Be Felt For Decades: "As oil continues to pour into the Gulf of Mexico at a staggering rate, many are now starting to realize that the pain from this oil spill will be felt not just for months or years - but for decades. At least 4.2 million gallons of oil (and some estimates put the total at far higher than that) are already in the Gulf of Mexico causing untold damage to the ecologically fragile Louisiana coast. The oil has already made contact with the Chandeleur Islands off of the coast of Louisiana, and over the next few days more areas are expected to see oil come ashore. But just because this disaster is unfolding in slow-motion does not mean that this is not going to be a complete and utter tragedy for the Gulf Coast region."

People giving hair off their heads for oil cleanup - MarketWatch

People giving hair off their heads for oil cleanup - MarketWatch: "Volunteer efforts to collect hair cuttings from pets and people for oil-protective barriers to contain the spill in the Gulf of Mexico are blossoming in recent weeks."

Gulf of Mexico oil spill: dead dolphins found washed up on US coast - Telegraph

Gulf of Mexico oil spill: dead dolphins found washed up on US coast - Telegraph: "Blair Mase of the National Marine Fisheries Service said that dolphin carcasses had been found in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama since May 2. Samples have been sent for testing to see whether the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was to blame for their deaths.
Mr Mase and animal rescue coordinator Michele Kelley in Louisiana said that none of the carcasses had obvious signs of oil. Mr Mase also said it's common for dead dolphins to wash up this time of year when they are in shallow waters to calve."

Gulf of Mexico oil spill: giant dome sent to capture leaking crude - Telegraph

Gulf of Mexico oil spill: giant dome sent to capture leaking crude - Telegraph: "BP has dispatched a giant concrete 'dome' on a high-stakes mission to contain the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, knowingt that failure would leave crude spewing into the sea for months and magnify the risk of an environmental catastrophe."

Scientists watch for environmental effects of Gulf of Mexico oil spill

Scientists watch for environmental effects of Gulf of Mexico oil spill: "The cord-grass marshes of south Louisiana are nurseries for baby shrimp, stalking grounds for blue crabs, and barriers that slow down waves before they bite off more of the mainland. On Friday, they were becoming defenseless sponges for sticky, dark oil.

The locals said the foul-smelling mass had the goopy look of chocolate mousse. The scientists said the enormous slick had the potential to bring environmental ruin to this treasured coastline.

The oil is spilling out of the seafloor at 5,000 barrels a day -- the equivalent of 210,000 gallons -- maybe much more, from a well about 50 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico, and it could soon eclipse the volume of the infamous Exxon Valdez spill in 1989. That disaster spilled oil onto rocky Alaskan beaches, but it is at least possible to wash oil off a rock. In the Gulf, the"

C'mon, how big is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, really? - CSMonitor.com

C'mon, how big is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, really? - CSMonitor.com