1. BP……WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
DeepWater Horizon Oil Spill

11. Timeline Deepwater Horizon April 20, 2010 – explosion – methane gas
floating rig
exploratory drilling 50 miles southeast of Venice
water nearly 1 mile deep
only rigs in Gulf drilling this deep
April 20, 2010 – explosion – methane gas
April 22, 2010 – rig topples, oil begins to leak from well in sea floor
Blow-out preventer failed
Three leaks, one has been sealed

12. Current situation
As of ???????????? gallons of oil have been released into the gulf.
Exxon Valdez in 1989 was 11 million gallons
Attempted to place large “funnel” over leak on Saturday 5/8
Gas-water crystals clogged
Mitigation: booms, skimming, burning, dispersants (bad weather disrupts)
Oil started showing up on shore over the weekend

14. What next for BP? As of July 15 the leak has been capped.
Future ???????? $$$$$$

15. BIODEGRADATION OF OIL BY
BACTERIA

16. BACTERIA AND MICROBES ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY CLEAN UP (NOT JUST MOVE AROUND) THE ONGOING OIL SPILL IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

17. There are billions of hydrocarbon chewing microbes

18. BACTERIA ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN SURFACTANT ( reduces surface tension)

19. Dispersants Separates the oil into smaller droplets
Dispersed throughout the water column
Prevent surface slick – affects beaches, marshes, animals – immediate damage
Does not destroy or eliminate oil – dilutes and alters until natural degradation
Where does it go? – complex currents, water vs sediment
What does it do? – food chain, toxicity