What is Deepwater Drilling

The moratorium on deepwater oil drilling ends in November, but this isn’t stopping some business advocates to request that the ban be lifted sooner. Just last week, an independent committee sent off a letter to the federal government encouraging them to end the moratorium before the November date.

So exactly what is deepwater drilling and how does it differ from regular oil drilling?

Just like its names implies, deepwater oil drilling involves exploring and processing oil or gas far off the shoreline, in depths of water that are 1,000 feet or more deep. There are essentially two different kinds of mechanisms that allow for deepwater drilling: semi-submersible drilling rigs and drillships.

Just a few decades ago, deepwater oil drilling was considered too expensive, but with the rapid rise in oil costs in recent years, it became more economicallyand technologically feasible. While deepwater drilling allows for oil companies to tap into the last remaining sources of crude oil, it also holds many dangers. The Deepwater Horizon oil explosion that erupted on April 20 was the worst-case scenario for what happens when deepwater drilling goes horribly wrong. As we saw with this recent environmental man-made disaster, when a leak or explosion occurs, it becomes near impossible to cap the leak at depths so great. The results are both immediate and unknowingly long-term, affecting both human and marine life.

As history has showed us before, sometimes the most massive tragedy is fuel for progress. That is the hope with the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill and one of the main intention’s of the federal government’s six-month ban on deepwater drilling, namely to vastly improve this perilous system so that future Deepwater Horizon oil spills can be prevented.

Oil Spill Rescue Workers Health Still at Risk

Even though much of the media urgency of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has dwindled following the capping the worst gusher in the nation’s history, for those who helped with the rescue and clean-up efforts, their struggle still remains very real.

According to a group of researchers, clean-up workers, fishermen and members of coastal communities continue to face health risks and health effects following their efforts with managing the largest man-made environmental disaster in U.S. history.

“Clinicians should be aware of, and look for, evidence of toxicity from exposures to oil and related chemicals. Symptomatic patients should be asked about occupation and location of residence, the physical examination should focus on the skin, respiratory tract, neurological system,” said Dr. Sarah Janssen, an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco and a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in San Francisco. Dr. Janssen expressed these findings in a  UCSF news release.

“The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is well known as an ecological disaster, but what is less known is the risk to human health caused by oil contamination,” article senior author Dr. Gina Solomon, senior director of UCSF’s occupational and environmental medicine residency and fellowship program and senior scientist at the NRDC, said in the news release via the Associated Press.

“We want to reach the volunteers, clean-up workers, fishermen, medical specialists and community members with practical information about the impact to their health from these chemicals. With correct information, we hope they can protect themselves and seek treatment if they don’t feel well,” Solomon said.

In addition to the skin and respiratory effects, the long-term mental health consequences are also of great concern to researchers evaluating the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which erupted on April 20 and killed 11 platform workers. The safety of seafood and the air quality are also pressing issues.

While much of the media frenzy has died down, disaster relief workers, environmental scientists and researchers and some government officials continue to work tirelessly on learning from this disaster and monitoring the effects both on land and in the sea.

Americans Still Unsure about Eating Gulf Seafood

A recent AP poll showed that Americans are still uncertain about the safety of eating Gulf seafood. Even though it has been four months since the largest man-made environmental disaster in the nation’s history rocked an entire industry and wreaked havoc on aquatic wildlife for years to come, the country remains hesitant about purchasing seafood like shrimp, oysters, crab and scallops, retrieved from the Gulf waters.

“Normally, I would go to the casinos and eat seafood, but now I’m going to be kind of skeptical of eating,” said Samuel Washington, 44, who lives in Norfolk, Va. told the Associate Press. Washington also owns a home in Ocean Springs, Miss. “My biggest concern is whether or not they are really testing all the affected areas.”

The poll went on to show that more than half, 54 percent, said they weren’t confident that it is safe yet to eat seafood from the oil wrecked areas, and 55 percent said they weren’t confident that the beaches in the affected areas were safe for swimming.

In June 87 percent of respondents said that the spill was an important issue affecting the country, but the recent poll showed that number dropped to 60 percent. In addition, the AP poll suggested that only 21 percent said it would affect them and their families a great deal or a lot in the next year, down from 40 percent in June.

What We Can Learn from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Even though the cap on the Deepwater Horizon oil well has been permanently secured, and the relief well is just days away from being complete, the uncertainty of the long-term effects on the rich Gulf wildlife is unknown and worrisome.

“This whole notion that that stuff is weathering away is really questionable,” said Jim Cowan, a professor in Louisiana State University’s department of oceanography and coastal sciences.

“What dispersed oil does is eventually dissolves into sea water and the ultimate fate of that is ultimately undetermined,” claimed Cowan.

Experts warn that the devastation will come not now, but years from now, similar to the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill where the damaging effects in the regions’ waters was not experienced and evaluated until two or three years following the 1989 disaster.

And according to the BBC News, otters and other animals are still suffering nearly 12 years after the Alaskan oil spill.

The news bureau also estimates that the spill killed 250,000 sea birds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbour seals, 250 bald eagles, up to 22 killer whales, and billions of salmon and herring eggs. And according to some scientists and researchers, the affected aquatic and land population has still not recovered.

The tanker went aground in Prince William Sound in March 1989, and spilled 42 million litres of crude oil.

Allen Calls Oil Spill ‘A Disaster’

Even though the Deepwater Horizon oil well has been permanently capped, the aftermath of the nation’s worst environmental disaster is still wreaking havoc for much of the Gulf.

“If you’re sitting in Barataria Bay, it’s still a disaster. If the folks have not come back to the panhandle of Florida, it’s still a disaster,” former Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, told CNN.

Allen is the Obama Administration’s onsite leader for surveying and evaluating the state of the relief efforts.

He also went on to enforce the need for continuing efforts to monitor and clean the area: ”We need to keep a steady hand at the tiller to keep the cleanup going.”

“It’s a catastrophe. It’s a catastrophe for the people of the Gulf, and it requires our attention until we get the job done,” he said.

On April 20, the Deepwater Horizon oil well, which is managed by BP, exploded killing 11 platform workers, injuring dozens others and spilling hundreds of millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding waters. The worst man-made environmental disaster in the nation’s history set off a domino effect of environmental, economic and health gravities. From threatening the survival of the Gulf’s aquatic life to forcing hundreds of fishermen out of work, the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be felt for years and generations to come.

Gulf Seafood Safe to Eat Says FDA

Seafood from areas of the oil-packed Gulf of Mexico has been declared safe to eat by the government. The FDA based its results in part on human smell tests. Inspectors simply smell the seafood for any scent of chemical odors.

FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said the government is “confident all appropriate steps have been taken to ensure that seafood harvested from the waters being opened today is safe and that Gulf seafood lovers everywhere can be confident eating and enjoying the fish and shrimp that will be coming out of this area.”

While this may be cause for celebration, few are celebrating and even fewer eating Gulf of Mexico shrimp, oysters and other seafood. Many researchers and fishermen are calling for much stricter and more thorough examinations to determine the fish safety.

The smell test is used so widely because it is cost-effective and time-efficient. Currently, a tissue-sampling test which would provide a more thorough examination of the existence of oil and chemical dispersants, is still in development stages.

Federal scientists say that the most common cancer-causing compounds in oil are quickly metabolized and eliminated in the bodies of finfish and crustaceans like shrimp, crab and lobster.

Just this past week, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal requested that BP fund a 20-year testing and certification program to restore confidence in seafood from the Gulf of Mexico.

BP has not yet replied to the Governor’s recommendation.

Well Finally Plugged

After more than three months since the April 20 Deepwater oil well explosion, the well is plugged. The government has not yet officially declared the well defunct, since the cement and mud must still be pumped in from the bottom to seal it off for good.

According to the Associated Press, BP PLC said 2,300 barrels of mud forced down the well overnight had pushed the crude back down to its source for the first time since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded.

President Obama said that the environmental disaster, which killed 11 platform workers was ”finally close to coming to an end.”

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report released Wednesday stated that just 30 percent of the spilled oil remains in the Gulf  of Mexico, and what oil does remain is deteriorating at a rapid rate. The report also  said the oil no longer poses a threat to the Florida Keys or the East Coast.

While this is all encouraging news, particularly after months of relief mistakes, setbacks and errors, many who make their livelihood in the Gulf aren’t so excited over the recent developments. Their jobs have been wiped away and there is no indication that they will be returning to their boats anytime soon. The short-term and long-term effects on the health of the aquatic life are still uncertain and consequently, so are thousands of fisherman’s livelihoods.

Crews Prepare Permanent Plug for Oil Well

According to the Associated Press, engineers are preparing to launch a static kill operation as early as Monday August 2, shoving mud and perhaps cement into the blown-out well to make it easier to plug the gusher up forever and end the Summer of the Spill.

While there is no proof that the operation will be a success, BP is adding more insurance to the operation by filling the well with mud and cement through the relief well they have been digging since just following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill back in April. The relief well will permanently seal off the deep-sea well that is the site of the largest man-made environmental disaster in the nation’s history.

To date, the spill has leaked an estimated 184 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding waters. Eleven platform workers were killed and thousands of others oil workers, fisherman and those working in the region’s tourist industry have been significantly affected the explosion.

Many engineers and relief workers are hopeful that static kill will will be a success.

“If we can get this thing shut in permanently before the August hurricane season, we will have dodged a huge bullet,” said Rear Adm. Paul Zukunft, the government’s on-site coordinator.

Hayward is Out and BP Names First American CEO

It’s official: BP’s CEO Tony Hayward was forced to leave the oil giant and for the first time in the company’s history, BP has named an American  to take over its leadership.

The newly named CEO of BP, Bob Dudley, says his top priority is sealing its blown oil well for good and cleaning and restoring the Gulf of Mexico.

Bob Dudley said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Tuesday he does not expect any more oil to gush into the Gulf as BP PLC moves to permanently plug the well with cement after capping it nearly two weeks ago.

According to the Associated Press, Dudley told ABC he plans to change the company’s culture and make sure checks and balances are in place to prevent a repeat of the disaster.

Under Hayward, BP was responsible for the April 20 explosion that destroyed the leased oil rig Deepwater Horizon, killing 11 workers. It was the largest man-made environmental disaster in the nation’s history.

While Hayward has been highly criticized by the media and by the general public, he will leave the oil giant in strong financial standing with an estimated $1.6 million buyout plan.

Dudley is a chemical engineer by training and has been with BP since 1998 when the company merged with Amoco. Dudley was raised in Mississippi and recalls many family trips fishing and swimming along the Louisiana and Mississippi coastal regions.

Oil Spill Work Halted Due to Bonnie

With Tropical Storm Bonnie brewing in the Bahamas, the Gulf oil spill relief efforts have been halted temporarily as the storm could pose a significant risk to the resue efforts.

This is just one setback in a series of many disruptions and errors that have delayed the efforts to permanently stop the leak in the Deepwater Horizon well, which has been spilling oil since the explosion rocked the Gulf on April 20, 2010.

 U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm could reach the Gulf of Mexico by Saturday. Experts are concerned that the hurricane season, which includes tropical storms like Bonnie, could cause more environmental damage to the Gulf as the powerful winds and waves would push the oil deeper into the wetlands and estuaries and further slicking up surrounding beaches.

This concern is so great that work on the oil spill cap has stopped after ships from around the region were ordered to evacuate before the Tropical Storm Bonnie hit. Experts were debating about reopening the cap when the storm comes passing through but for now, they believe the cap is strong enough to withhold the power of the storm. Currently, the cap still remains closed even though work to plug the well permanently with cement has stopped.