Methane in Gulf Million Times Above Normal

Methane gas is up to 1 million times higher than the normal level near the Gulf of Mexico oil spill:  U.S. Researchers

Such incredibly high levels of methane could deplete oxygen and create a larger than usual dead zone in Gulf of Mexico.

An oceanography professor at Texas A&M University, who spent ten days researching the water quality near the BP Plc oil spill in the gulf, says methane gas levels in some areas close to the spill source are “astonishingly high,” a report said.

“There is an incredible amount of methane in there,” Kessler said, noting that his team of 12 researchers has found concentrations of methane that were 100,000 times higher than normal within an 8 km (5-mile) radius of BP’s ruptured wellhead.

“We saw them approach a million times above background concentrations” in some areas, Kessler said.

“At some locations, we saw depletions of up to 30 percent of oxygen based on its natural concentration in the waters. At other places, we saw no depletion of oxygen in the waters. We need to determine why that is,” he added.

The oxygen depletion are still above a critical level, he said, but the oil still leaking into the Gulf, at about 60,000 barrels per day.

“What is it going to look like two months down the road, six months down the road, two years down the road?”

The researchers believe measuring the methane level could provide a more accurate estimate of the rate of oil spill, and are hoping to have their own estimate soon.

“Give us about a week and we should have some preliminary numbers on that,” he said.

Related Links:

• Earth Enemy: Judge Martin Feldman
• Gulf of Mexico Worth More Dead Than Alive: Oil Industry
• World’s Largest Oil Tailing Pond – Satellite Images
• BP Hayward: Frankly, I Couldn’t Give a Damn!
• Oil Disasters

Earth Enemy: Judge Martin Feldman

Self-interest Prevents Sound Decision by Corrupt Judge

U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman has issued an  barring the enforcement of the six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling

The corrupt federal judge reported owning stock in numerous companies involved in the offshore oil industry including Transocean, owners of the doomed Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that was on lease to BP.

Judicial Watch has posted Feldman’s 2008 financial disclosure form online [pdf file], which shows the Ronald Reagan-appointed judge owned stock in six companies, including Transocean, that are involved in the offshore-drilling.

According to the report, Judge Feldman holds  stocks or notes in Transocean, Hercules Offshore, ATP Oil and Gas, Ocean Energy, Inc., and Parker Drilling, all of which companies provide offshore drilling services and operate offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

“If some drilling equipment parts are flawed, is it rational to say all are?” he asked. “Are all airplanes a danger because one was? All oil tankers like Exxon Valdez? All trains? All mines? That sort of thinking seems heavy-handed, and rather overbearing.” The corrupt judge said.

The judge elaborated that the blanket ban on deepwater offshore drilling “seems to assume that because one rig failed and although no one yet fully knows why, all companies and rigs drilling new wells over 500 feet also universally present an imminent danger.”

“An invalid agency decision to suspend drilling of wells in the depths over 500ft simply cannot justify the immeasurable effect on the plaintiffs, the local economy, the Gulf region and the critical present-day aspect of the availability of domestic energy in this country,” Feldman added.

He didn’t comment on the facts that:

1. Deepwater drilling is a comparatively new way of extracting oil
2. All that it takes to kill an entire region if one out-of-control oil well

The suit was filed by Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC and was joined by at least than a dozen other companies involved in offshore drilling operations to lift the drilling ban imposed by the U.S. Department of Interior.

“Oil found in deep waters is needed because the world will need 45% more energy by the year 2030, BP’s chief of staff, Steve Westwell, earlier told the World National Oil Companies Congress,” a report said.

What’s left of this world would be a better place without corrupt judges and government officials.

The dastardly judge is well protected

COINCIDENTALLY, the Blog Moderators were unable to find any photo of the dastardly judge on Internet. [Readers will note why he’s so well protected!]

Related Links:

• Gulf of Mexico Worth More Dead Than Alive: Oil Industry
• What’s the Point of Having the Supreme Court, If…
• World’s Largest Oil Tailing Pond – Satellite Images
• BP Hayward: Frankly, I Couldn’t Give a Damn!
• Oil Disasters

• 10 Biggest Threats to the US National Security