Best Chance to Stop Gulf Spill Is Months Away
It's already the worst ecological disaster in U.S. history, and the oil spill continues to dump somewhere between 504,000 and 4.2 million gallons of oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico. BP will continue to try to plug that hole, but its best chance to succeed is the drilling of relief wells, a process that won't be finished until at least August.
It’s already the worst ecological disaster in U.S. history, and the oil spill continues to dump somewhere between 504,000 and 4.2 million gallons of oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico. BP will continue to try to plug that hole, but its best chance to succeed is the drilling of relief wells, a process that won’t be finished until at least August.
Did we mention that hurricane season kicks off Tuesday and it’s expected to be a nasty one?
Dig, Root, GrowAP via Google:
Still, the three months it could take to finish the relief wells — the first of which started May 2 — is quicker than a typical deep well, which can take four months or longer, said Tad Patzek, chair of the Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Department at the University of Texas-Austin. BP already has a good picture of the different layers of sand and rock its drill bits will meet because of the work it did on the blown-out well.
On the slim chance the relief well doesn’t work, scientists weren’t sure exactly how much — or how long — the oil would flow. The gusher would continue until the well bore hole collapsed or pressure in the reservoir dropped to a point where oil was no longer pushed to the surface, Patzek said.
This year, we’re all on shaky ground, and the need for independent journalism has never been greater. A new administration is openly attacking free press — and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Your support is more than a donation. It helps us dig deeper into hidden truths, root out corruption and misinformation, and grow an informed, resilient community.
Independent journalism like Truthdig doesn't just report the news — it helps cultivate a better future.
Your tax-deductible gift powers fearless reporting and uncompromising analysis. Together, we can protect democracy and expose the stories that must be told.
This spring, stand with our journalists.
Dig. Root. Grow. Cultivate a better future.
Donate today.
With his reelection at stake, Barack Obama made a series of decisions to control the disaster. It's clear now just how calamitous they were.
A new probe finds Louisiana has failed to pursue millions in remediation for spills—money environmental groups say they desperately need.
A batch of corporate boards filled with sociopaths are knowingly killing us all. But one thing could end their murderous streak.
In a congressional district where voters rely on fossil-fuel jobs, it’s not easy, but it's absolutely essential.
A new investigation finds a range of industries were able to successfully mask their sponsorship of political ads on the social network.
It’s been going on since 2004, with no end in sight.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.