Middle East Warning

Thanks to Larry Taylor , From the Edge Alerts for this. Sent by Eric Rose: USS Carrier Harry Truman Now Officially Just Off Iran  Article follows my comments Things are really heating up, if the only thing you are doing  is watching the leak in the gulf on TV then you will miss the fact  that they are really getting ready to attack Iran!!!  FOR REAL!  Even Castro wrote a open letter to US and Israel asking  they not do this because he believes the conflict would  go nuclear and millions would die. The US and Israel have jets and bombers in the following  countries waiting for the GO order. Georgia  Azerbaijan  Saudi Arabia  Irac  Qatar  The emirates  Afghanistan  Israel  Diego Garcia (this is the place they delivered the "bunker buster" bombs last year) My scanner is very busy with EAM's  Emergency Action Messages  This is what the Air Force uses to tell the  bombers what to bomb etc.  Before they bomb anyone they use EAM's  to get the bombers use to being told to go  and incinerate a few million people, so when  it is a real GO they GO and DO IT. They call it  training. On that subject the Army's Civil disturbance  frequency is also very busy along with FEMA  and the National Emergency Network. REALLY HEADS UP, I BELIEVE THEY ARE GOING  FOR BROKE. If you don't have food get some,  if you don't have first aid and medicines get some  if you are in the cities get out  The web bot predicted that July 8th was going  to be a catastrophic day, I was skeptical but  with all this going on I would not bet against it. READ ON Published on zero hedge (http://www.zerohedge.com) Home > USS Carrier Harry Truman Now Officially Just Off Iran, As Israel Allegedly Plotting An Imminent Tehran Raid -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USS Carrier Harry Truman Now Officially Just Off Iran, As Israel Allegedly Plotting An Imminent Tehran Raid  By Tyler Durden  Created 06/27/2010 - 12:50  As we first reported last week [1], in an article that was met with much original skepticism, the Pentagon has now confirmed that a fleet of 12 warships has passed the Suez Canal, and is now likely awaiting orders to support the escalation in the Persian Gulf. The attached image from Stratfor [2]shows the latest positioning of US aircraft carrier groups as of June 23: the USS Harry Truman (CVN-75) is now right next to USS Eisenhower (CVN 69), both of which are waiting patiently just off Iran. [3] As for the catalyst the two carriers may be anticipating, we provide the following update from the Gulf Daily News [4] where we read that Israel may be on the verge of an attack of Iran, with an incursion originating from military bases in Azerbaijan and Georgia. Israel is massing warplanes in the Caucasus for an attack on Iran, it was revealed yesterday. Preparations are underway to launch the military attack from Azerbaijan and Georgia, reports our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej, quoting military sources. Israel was, in fact, training pilots in Turkey to launch the strike and was smuggling planes into Georgia using Turkish airspace, they said. However, Turkey was unaware of Israel's intention of transferring the planes to Georgia, the sources said. The unexpected crisis between Israel and Turkey following an Israeli commando raid on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza Strip hit Israeli calculations. Azerbaijan-based intelligence units, working under the cover of technicians, trainers and consultants, have helped with the preparations, the sources said. Military equipment, mostly supplied by the US, was transported to a Georgian port via the Black Sea. Georgian coastguard and Israeli controllers are co-operating to hide the operations from Russian vessels, said the sources. They point out that according to Israel, it will not be in a position to launch a strike on Iran without using bases in Georgia and Azerbaijan due to the limited capabilities of its nuclear submarines stationed near the Iranian coast. Meanwhile, Iran's Press TV reported that a very large contingent of US ground forces had massed in Azerbaijan, near the Iranian border. The independent Azerbaijani news website Trend confirmed the report. Those reports came just days after the Pentagon confirmed that an unusually large fleet of US warships had indeed passed through Egypt's Suez Canal en route to the Gulf. At least one Israeli warship reportedly joined the American armada. Press TV also quoted Iranian Revolultionary Guard Brigadier General Mehdi Moini as saying that the country's forces are mobilised and ready to face Israelli and American "misadventures" near its borders. * Iran last night said it has cancelled plans to send an aid ship to the Gaza Strip as Israel "had sent a letter to the UN saying that the presence of Iranian and Lebanese ships in the Gaza area will be considered a declaration of war on that regime and it will confront it," Irna said.

Cleanup ships idled as storms rattle Gulf region- and foreign help

Ann Warren Key West, Florida Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 8:03 PM Almost a footnote in the AP article: The U.S. accepted foreign help today- FINALLY !!! We've accepted help from 12 countries and international agencies. Japan is sending skimmer and boom. Cleanup ships idled as storms rattle Gulf region AP – Vice President Joe Biden talks with Carol Rotolo, who owns a seafood takeout restaurant and has faced … Slideshow:Gulf Coast Oil Spill Play Video Video:Crisis in the Gulf: Storms Threaten Relief Wells ABC News Related Quotes Symbol Price Change BP 27.67 +0.62 ^GSPC 1,041.24 -33.33 ^IXIC 2,135.18 -85.47 By MARY FOSTER and TOM BREEN, Associated Press Writers Mary Foster And Tom Breen, Associated Press Writers – 2 mins ago GRAND ISLE, La. – The crashing waves and gusting winds churned up by Tropical Storm Alex put the Gulf oil spill largely in Mother Nature's hands Tuesday. Regardless of whether the storm makes things worse or even better, it has turned many people fighting the spill into spectators. Oil-scooping ships in the Gulf of Mexico steamed to safe refuge because of the rough seas, which likely will last for days. Officials scrambled to reposition boom to protect the coast, and had to remove barges that had been blocking oil from reaching sensitive wetlands. Those operations could soon get a boost, as the U.S. accepted offers of help from 12 countries and international organizations. Japan, for instance, was sending two skimmers and boom. Alex is projected to stay far from the spill zone and is not expected to affect recovery efforts at the site of the blown-out well. But the storm's outer edges complicated the cleanup as the oil turned whitecaps red. Waves were as high as 12 feet in parts of the Gulf, according to the National Weather Service. U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Dave French said all skimming efforts had been halted for now off the Louisiana coast. Wayne Hebert, who helps manage skimming operations for BP PLC, said all nearshore skimmers were idled off the coasts of Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. "Everyone is in because of weather, whether it's thunderstorms or (high) seas," Hebert said. French said workers were using the time off the water to replenish supplies and perform maintenance work. In Grand Isle, dozens of boats, from skiffs up to huge shrimp boats, were tied up at the docks, rocked by waves even in the sheltered marina. "It's really rough out there," said Coast Guardsman Zac Crawford. "We want the oil cleaned up, but we want people to be safe. We don't want to lose anyone working on the spill." On the beach, cleanup workers struggled with wind that blew sand into their eyes and mouths and humidity that let the sand stick to their skin. Farther inland, local officials worried the weather could hamper efforts to keep the oil out of Lake Ponchartrain Lake Pontchartrain, which so far has not been affected. The brackish body of water, connected to the Gulf by narrow passes, is a recreational haven for metropolitan New Orleans. Authorities worried that underwater currents and an easterly wind might drive a 250-square-mile oil slick north of the Chandeleur Islands toward the lake. "We're very concerned because of the weather," said Suzanne Parsons, spokeswoman for St. Tammany Parish, which is on the north side of the lake. "That means they can't get out and start working it. This may be the first test of our outer lines of defense. " Meanwhile, Jefferson Parish Council member Chris Roberts said the oil was entering passes Tuesday at Barataria Bay, home to diverse wildlife. A day earlier, barges that had been placed in the bay to block the oil were removed because of rough seas. Boom was being displaced and had to be repositioned, he said in an e-mail. The loss of skimming work combined with 25 mph gusts driving water into the coast has left beaches especially vulnerable. In Alabama, the normally white beaches were streaked with long lines of oil, and tar balls collected on the sand. One swath of beach 40 feet wide was stained brown and mottled with globs of oil globs of oil matted together. That nasty weather will likely linger in the Gulf through Thursday, National Weather Service meteorologist Brian LaMarre said. Scientists have said the rough seas and winds could actually help break apart the oil and make it evaporate faster. The wave action, combined with dispersants sprayed by the Coast Guard, have helped break a 6-by-30-mile oil patch into smaller patches, Coast Guard Cmdr. Joe Higgens said. "It's good news because there is less on the surface," Higgens said. "It's surface oil that washes up on the beaches." The storm, however, pushed the oil patch toward Grand Isle and uninhabited Elmer's Island, dumping tar balls as big as apples on the beach. "The sad thing is that it's been about three weeks since we had any big oil come in here," marine science technician Michael Malone. "With this weather we lost all the progress we made." Forecasters expect Alex to grow to hurricane strength later Tuesday over the southwestern Gulf, on track for the Texas-Mexico border region and away from the oil spill area off Louisiana. So far, between 137.6 million and 70.8 million gallons of oil have spewed into the Gulf of Mexico from the broken BP well, according to government and BP estimates. The higher estimate is enough oil to fill half of New York's Empire State Building with oil. Hurricane warnings were posted for parts of the coast along Mexico and Texas. Except for the border area itself, though, most of the warning area is lightly populated. Still in the Gulf are vessels being used to capture or burn oil and gas leaking from the well and to drill relief wells that officials say are the best hope for stopping the leak for good. In Louisiana, the Coast Guard had to evacuate workers and equipment from coastal areas in Terrebonne Parish Terrebonne Parish because of tidal surges that could cause flooding, French said. All the uncertainty over what Alex and other storms could do to BP's containment effort gave new urgency to the company's efforts to make its operations at the well as hurricane-resistant as possible. The company said it hopes to install a new oil-capturing system by next week that would allow BP to disconnect the equipment faster if a hurricane threatens and hook it back up quickly after the storm passes. The containment system now in place is capturing nearly 1 million gallons per day from the well, which is spewing as much as 2.5 million gallons a day, according to the government's worst-case estimate. Vice President Joe Biden also visited Gulf Coast officials and residents Tuesday. In New Orleans, he said federal and state officials would use a uniform safety standard for seafood coming out of the Gulf. The goal is to quickly reopen closed fishing areas. Biden said he knows that it's "going to be a lean summer and a lean fall" for the region's fishermen. "A job is a lot more than about a paycheck," he said. "It's about dignity. It's about respect. ... In your case, it's a way of life." ___ Associated Press writers Jay Reeves in Gulf Shores, Ala., and Kevin McGill and Michael Kunzelman in New Orleans contributed to this report.

Garfield on the Oil Crisis

Garfield on the oil crisis A lot of folks can't understand how we came to have an oil shortage here in our country. ~~~ Well, there's a very simple answer. ~~~ Nobody bothered to check the oil. ~~~ We just didn't know we were getting low. ~~~ The reason for that is purely geographical. ~~~ Our OIL is located in : ~~~ ALASKA ~~~ California ~~~ Coastal Florida ~~~ Coastal Louisiana ~~~ Wyoming ~~~ Colorado ~~~ Kansas ~~~ Oklahoma ~~~ Pennsylvania and Texas ~~~ Our dipsticks are located in DC Any Questions? NO?...Didn't think So.

Asphalt Volcanoes were Discovered in Gulf of Mexico in 2004

Asphalt volcanoes discovered  13. May 2004     Asphalt flows from deep-sea volcanoes New kind of volcano discovered in the Gulf of Mexico Underwater volcanoes that spew asphalt instead of lava: they were discovered in the Gulf of Mexico during an expedition of the research vessel SONNE, led by Prof. Gerhard Bohrmann of the DFG Research Center Ocean Margins. On these volcanoes the multinational team of scientists encountered a previously unknown highly diverse ecosystem at a water depth of 3,000 meters. The prominent scientific journal Science reports the spectacular discovery in its issue of 14 May 2004. Asphalt, commonly known to us as the material that covers our streets, has been found flowing out of mounds that rise 450 to 800 meters above the desert-like floor of the Gulf of Mexico. Researchers discovered the asphalt volcanoes during a cruise of the research vessel SONNE. First observed in video footage, the structures were confirmed by bottom samples taken during the expedition. "We were actually only searching for the presence of methane at the seafloor, instead we found a new kind of volcano associated with a complex ecosystem," relates Prof. Gerhard Bohrmann enthusiastically. The researchers surmise that such asphalt volcanoes only occur in the Gulf of Mexico, but that they are abundant there, because the conditions required for their formation - deep water, salt diapirs below the seafloor, and the presence of oil deposits - are found only here. When special microorganisms deep below the seafloor degrade petroleum, asphalt remains as a waste product. It is not unusual to find small amounts of this, but in some places in the Gulf of Mexico the asphalt covers more than a square kilometer of sea bottom. The researchers christened one of the mounds "Chapopote", after the Aztec word for asphalt. Video recordings of this mound clearly show how the asphalt flowed out of the crater and down the slope. The pictures are amazingly reminiscent of lava from volcanoes on land. In addition, they are home to numerous life forms: tube worms, clams, fish, crabs, and - typical for deep-sea oases - abundant bacteria. Asphalt is commonly presumed to be hostile to life. "Nevertheless, we have now found a complete ecosystem, not only living on the asphalt, but also apparently feeding on it," says Bohrmann. The amazing thing about this is: as a waste product asphalt no longer contains the usual basic deep-sea nutrients, methane and hydrogen sulfide. Almost all animals living in the deep sea feed on such chemical compounds because energy from the sun only penetrates the upper layer of the ocean. "Now we have to find out what compounds the organisms on the asphalt volcanoes use, and how the network of life in this system is interconnected." The geologist of the DFG Research Center Ocean Margins is fascinated. "As a scientist, one rarely has the opportunity to discover things that are still completely unknown. The chance for discoveries of this magnitude exists only in the deep sea." Please direct requests for more information, interviews or pictures to: Kirsten Achenbach Public Relations DFG Research Center Ocean Margins Phone: ++49 (0) 421 - 218-9000 Mobile: ++49 (0) 179 - 91 21 489 Fax: ++49 (0) 421 - 218-3116 Email:  Prof. Gerhard Bohrmann DFG Research Center Ocean Margins Phone: ++49 (0)421-218-8639  Email:   http://www.gashydrate.de/projekte/omega/otega2 Kirsten Achenbach Room:  MARUM / 0060 Phone:  +49  421 218 - 65541 Fax: +49  421 218 - 65505 Prof. Dr. Gerhard Bohrmann Room:  Geo / 1090 Phone:  +49  421 218 - 65050 Fax: +49  421 218 - 65099  chapopote4.mpg Klick to enlarge the pictures. Copyright: RCOM/Science The foot of an asphalt flow offers ideal conditions for tubeworms. To the left you can see undisturbed ocean floor. Crabs, tubeworms and asphalt: an unusual combination. Which compounds these organisms use for food is not yet known. http://www.marum.de/en/Asphalt_volcanoes_discovered.html

Exploration for Heavy Crude Oil and Natural Bitumen (Aapg Studies in Geology)

Earth's "Blood Pressure" is RISING ~ Get ready for a 'STROKE'

The Earth is a living entity, one of God's creatures.   It has acupuncture points (high energy areas), meridians,(measurable ley lines) low energy areas, high energy areas and organs.  Oil is it's 'blood', which, if the Earth stays healthy, will replenish itself, just as our own healthy bodies can recover when injured.  Scientists have recently let be known just this, calling the oil from very deep in the Earth's mantle, 'abiotic', that is, made without biological influence.  Formerly, it was dogma that our oil supply would come to an end, that it was made by the pressures of ancient flora and fauna remains from the times of the dinosaurs.  So, that would make it absolutely necessary that we remain dependent on the prevailing sources of oil, at great expense, and under control of the world's economy.  Perhaps the Bilderburgers know this, and use it to their advantage - and our control.  Most mid-eastern wells have never permanently dried up- they know this.  They know that they can cap off a well when it runs dry, and come back to it later for a fresh flow - and more money from us. The Earth's 'Blood Pressure' is Going up Due to Stress.   Stress? Yes, of the electro-magnetic pressures coming from the Central Sun, at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way.  Stress is building up in our entire solar system.  Note that our Sun, is now a white light sun - remember it used to be yellow?  Our Sun is showing electro-magnetic, x-ray, and other disturbances. Some big solars flares are coming down the pike.  Hence the climate changes seen here, on Mars, and Venus - indeed all the planets.As so the earthquakes, the wakening of dormant volcanoes.  'global warming' is not due to any activity of our SUV's.  Right now, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is bringing far more influence toward such a climate change.  Not even the chem-trails can cool the Earth off enough during the present and coming influences - but we may have a mini-ice age anyway with enough volcanoes erupting worldwide, and not have to worry about global warming at all. If the blood pressure is up, then there will be more hemorrhaging. Besides the already increasing earthquakes, we'll be seeing more volcanos: regular magma types, oil volcanoes, mud volcanoes, etc.  The pressures will head into our underground artesian wells, our acquifers.  We'd better devise ways to filter our water wells, and detoxify it from the toxic contents of the Earth's bodily fluids pushing into our water supply.  It has been predicted from many sources, both scientific and intuitive, that water will be scarce.   Around the end of 2012 the Solar Maximum will be in Full Force Eminent scientist Michio Kaku: http://socioecohistory.wordpress.com/2009/05/09/nasa-warns-of-super-solar-storm-2012/   In December or in the early months of 2013, the Solar maximum will be off the charts- and we may experience the cessation of our electric grid, cars, our internet, phones, television, indeed all electronic gatgets.  It happened in 1859, (in a lesser way) - only the telegraph system was affected, but now we, personally, and globally, all the world's industries, and economy - Wall Street, banks, etc. are extremely dependent on electronics.  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,478024,00.html   We'd better learn how to cope - before this coming time! !  Dr. Dee Rohe Acupuncture Physician Concerned Florida Citizen

10 Effective Ways to Increase Your Energy Levels

Here are 10 simple (and unique) exercises you can use to increase productivity and energy levels. If you are in search of a boost, consider implementing a few of these recommendations over the next few weeks and see how you feel: Ditch the Strict Schedule! If you start to feel anxious and stressed when working on a task, try switching to something else. Do not force yourself to work on something because your predetermined schedule says so; in fact, coming back to that project later when you have a more accepting attitude will yield better results. Loosen the reigns and allow yourself to work on projects that are most appealing to you during the present moment! Sleep in the Dark Light interferes with sleep, at least partly because it inhibits melatonin secretion and thus resets the biological clock. For this reason, it is very important to keep your bedroom as dark as possible to ensure full cycles of sleep. You will only be at you most industrious when you have a solid night of sleep under your belt. Fill Your Diet with Sufficient Brain Food Roughly 50-60% of the brain's overall weight is pure fat, which is used as insulation for its billions of nerve cells. The better insulated a cell, the faster it sends messages and the speedier your thinking. Therefore eating foods with a healthy mix of fats is essential for energy and productivity. Fish (wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies especially) and dark leafy green vegetables are excellent choices. Stretch Regular stretching does more than keep your muscles and tendons in a healthy state; it also keeps the brain's arteries open and unclogged. Because the brain accounts for 15% of the body's blood flow (while being only 2% of its overall weight) maintaining a free flow of oxygenated blood to our most vital organ is an excellent way to create more vigor in your life! Plan a Vacation Consistently having things to look forward to is a great way to increase vitality over the long haul, and planning a really great vacation will motivate you to be all the more productive! Spend One Day a Month In Complete Silence With all that modern culture throws at us, spending one day a month in complete silence (and even solitude) is a wonderful practice to increase productivity and energy levels over the long-haul. Why? Because the little voice in your head never stops, and cultivating the ability to quiet this chatterbox, even for a little while, can do wonders for your perspective and ability to get things done! Try this one time and see how you feel. Try Audio Guidance Sound Technology Audio Guidance CD's are simple, holistic, and backed by decades of reputable science. The brain emits a frequency like a battery, and audio guidance uses sound patterns to purposefully mold brain waves into desired states. This is an incredible tool for increasing productivity. Eat Bigger Meals in the Middle of the Day A great way to pamper your body and increase energy is to get in the habit of eating your bigger meal in the middle of the day. Your digestion is much more active during the day, allowing your body to use food for energy more effectively. At night, the body naturally begins to slow down and it is harder to digest. Say Thank You 50 Times a Day! Gratitude yields energy. Every night before you go to bed, spend 5 minutes saying thank you out loud for all the experiences you had during the day: the people you interacted with, the work you accomplished, the food you ate, etc…As you do this, really try and feel the gratitude emanate from within. This is a wonderful practice for increasing productivity! Implement At Least 20 minutes of Cardio Exercise 4 Times a Week Getting a sufficient "cardio" workout increases the body's ability to get oxygen to the cells efficiently; this lowers blood pressure, reduce cholesterol and decreases body fat. These are absolute necessities for increasing productivity and a staple in the lifestyle of almost every high-energy person.

Shocking developments - The Golden Report

Thanks to Larry Taylor, From the Edge Reports for this.    Shocking Developments 6-27-10   Connie and I have returned from a trip that took us through Turkey, Rhodes, and Kos. Many valuable contacts were made and the hand of God was felt upon us every step of the way.  There are many things I'd like to report, but feel it best at this time to hold back on some things for obvious reasons.  One thing I feel imperative to report is this; Israelis have stopped travelling to Turkey for vacation and yet in past years they did so at a rate of over 600,000+ a year to one city alone (Antalya). This has put a great deal of stress and financial pain upon the Gullet charter business,  and the result will be even lower prices as these large boats go up for sale.  Just one of these boats could save many Jewish lives.   If you live in the US or anywhere within a few hundred miles of the Gulf of Mexico you would already have been inundated with information about the Gulf Oil Spill.  Nevertheless,  I feel it necessary to forward this link to you. Someone sent it on to me. I don't know who this person is, but I think they have it right on the dot and you should read this very carefully.http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article20530.html.    For those who still haven't perceived the Prophetic Word of God in all of this, I am sure they will soon - but maybe far too late?  For God's Word is very clear, Zechariah 12:9 "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.  Zechariah 12:2-3 "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it".   It is said that a people "get the government they deserve". It has been a total amazement to me that Obama could have been elected as President of the USA - yet when we look back with 20/20 hindsight we now see who is in control.  My heart goes out to the believers who will now see things come to pass that I have spoken of many times. They have been warned by this Messenger, and many others, to prepare for their loved ones and to be a witness - for there are many who can still be saved.   As for this Ministry we have our calling, and we move forward knowing that God is with us,  Regardless of the many dangers around you, God would have you look out to bless others in Yeshua's name.  Perhaps God has called you to stand alongside this Ministry? [Gen. 12:3] And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  Zechariah 8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.   Pray for the peace of Jerusalem for our son Joel and all the IDF soldiers.  Pray for this Ministry and your part in it.   Shalom, Jerry Golden Donations   _______________________________________________

Financial Analyst: Gulf Oil Spill - Greatest Disaster Since the Flood?

Gulf Oil Spill - The Greatest Disaster Since The Flood? http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article20530.html

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http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.

Politics / Environmental IssuesJun 23, 2010 - 01:23 AM

By: Submissions

Joshua S. Burnett writes: Most articles begin with a purpose statement revealing what the author desires to convince the reader of.  This article is different.  These few paragraphs begin with a plea for someone to tell me that I've got the evidence all wrong and that what I see and know is a smoke filled illusion void of reality.  I want someone who knows differently to tell me.  So as you read this article please understand that I'm not attempting to be a fear-mongerer.  Please know I'm no prophet or guru, just a guy who looks at all the evidence he has and draws conclusions.  And if you know I'm wrong and why, please write and tell me.

First, let's review the facts:

1. The spill has continued, unimpeded, for two months now.
2. No advancement has been made on actually plugging the leak.
3. Every attempt at plugging the leak thus far has failed, and failed totally.  It's not as if we've made progress and fallen just short.  We haven't done jack.
4. Not only have we not made any progress in plugging the leak, the estimates of how much oil is actually leaking have grown steadily to the point where the official  rate is now twelve times higher than initially released (from 5k bbl/day to 60k bbl/day) and the private estimates double the official rate (120k bbl/day).
5. Before this, Exxon Valdez was the worst oil spill in American history.  That took months for the initial cleanup and much of the oil spilled was unrecoverable (boom operations, the bread and butter of oil cleanup, only captures 20% of spilled crude) and continues to contaminate the area, years afterward.  If current official estimates are to be believed (and they're on the very low end of plausibility) we've got 15 Exxon Valdez's already spilled in the Gulf.  The equivalent of another Exxon Valdez is spilled every four days (every two days if private estimates of leak rates are true).
6. We're now in hurricane season.  We've averaged 11 named storm systems per season for the past 53 years.
7. Oil generally floats to the top of the water (exceptions to be explained later) which is the first liquid to be picked up by storm systems. 
8. One quart  of oil contaminates 250,000 gallons of water.
9. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is located right off the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Just considering these facts here's what I would consider to be the expected outcome (not the worst case): first, we wouldn't need anything more than a tropical storm (of which we can expect 11 in the geographical vicinity this year) to pick up a massive quantity of oil and rain it all over the coast to an inland distance of several hundred miles (it isn't uncommon for hard rain from a tropical storm to reach as far north as Tennessee).  This oil will destroy all vegetation it lands on and poison any surface water and probably shallow water tables.  These water sources are what all local wildlife subsists on and the source for all city water purification I know of.  You obviously see the problem here.  I can see some of the hardier trees surviving if we get enough pure rainfall immediately following a tropical storm or hurricane drenching, but all this would do is to rinse the oil into ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and the water table; cleaning this up would be a multiple year nightmare; recovery for the region would be measured in decades.

But that's not all of it; here's where I outline my "worst case" scenario.  The main reason they're having such incredible problems capping the darn thing is not because of depth; it's because of internal well pressure.  In the pre-drilling geological surveys a massive methane pocket was discovered coinciding with the oil deposits; this pocket is sitting at a pressure of 100,000 psi.  Current engineering technology doesn't exist to contain something at 100,000 psi, meaning efforts to cap this puppy are useless.  The presence of this methane pocket is becoming harder to ignore as 40-70% of the emissions from the leak are now comprised of natural gas (and we're still blowing out 60,000-120,000 barrels of oil a day).  Best estimates put the amount of methane leaking at 2,900 cubic feet for every barrel of oil spilled (with an estimated 4.5-9.0 billion cubic feet of methane leaked so far… and the dang thing is STILL in six digit psi). 

The secondary concern here is the pressure and what happens if (more like when) it is discovered that the oil leak can't actually be capped as it spews with that amount of internal force.  The primary concern is what happens if/when the methane pocket ruptures; some estimates put its size at 15-20 miles wide (at 100,000 pounds of pressure per square inch).

If the methane bubble explodes, it would create a tsunami that would wipe out anything within dozens (and possibly hundreds) of miles of the Gulf Coast in all directions (view this animation of the 2009 tsunami in Samoa and how it spread).  The tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 wiped out between 150,000-300,000 people, some as far away as South Africa.  This was caused by an earthquake that shifted the ocean floor by meters.  An explosion of this size would shift the ocean floor for miles.  The Gulf is touched by the Mississippi River and opens into the Caribbean where it is exposed to the Panama Canal.  

I've just outlined what I think would be the worst case scenario.  So, for fairness sake, let's turn our attention to the best case scenario.  To do that let's assume a few things:

1. The oil leak is capped today (a virtual impossibility, since BP's most optimistic estimates don't even put sufficient siphoning capability in the region until mid/late July).  Or, let's assume the oil runs out (yet another virtual impossibility seeing how it is still spewing out of the ground at 100,000 psi; this tells us there's quite a bit more where that came from).  But let's assume one of these two possibilities.
2. We've got the equivalent of between 15 and 30 Exxon Valdez's that have spilled in the Gulf.  One of the inherent traits of oil is that it separates from water and rises to the top; but this inherent trait can be temporarily suspended.  Think back to grade school when one of your teachers brought in colored water and oil mixed in a two liter bottle; if you shook it hard enough you could get the two to mechanically mix and it would take a period of time for the two to separate.  That's with the strength of a fourth grader.  One of the problems revealed in this video is that much of the oil, spewing out at 100,000 psi, is still sitting at the bottom of the Gulf and spreading outward from there.  This has severe long term implications for the fishing and shipping industries across the Gulf states.  As large a deal as other industries are made of in the Gulf States it is the Gulf itself that drives them; without a living Gulf fishing, shrimping, crabbing, oystering, and tourism are all gone.  With them goes the economic viability of the area.
3. With immediate concern I see the possibility of a large quantity of oil being dropped across the coast as virtually unavoidable, and with it goes the large scale poisoning of flora and fauna… and there too goes the long term economic viability of the coast.

Best case?  Oil rains down within 300 miles of the Gulf Coast, poisoning flora and fauna and turning the major parts of the Gulf States into disaster areas.  Large scale evacuations will have to be made in any contaminated areas simply due to the carcinogenic risk of the oil; this will create large refugee camps outside of the immediate disaster areas and the economic ripple effect will be felt nationwide; this will obviously impact the world economic scene in a negative fashion.

That's the best case scenario.

Worst case? The methane bubble explodes, causing a tsunami that wipes out 80% of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.  Large portions of Texas are also destroyed.  The Gulf islands and Mexico will be in the same boat.  All of the oil platforms currently drilling in the Gulf would be torn away from their moorings, creating further oil leaks that would exacerbate the problems already there.

Does all of this sound fantastic and like I'm completely off of my rocker?  I know it does to me, and I'm writing the dang article.  But I just can't get away from the fact that this is where the trail of evidence leads me.  Three and a half million barrels of oil don't just disappear.  A methane bubble that size at those pressures doesn't just quit pumping.  So I'm asking someone to tell me that I'm nuts, and why.  Tell me that none of my reasoning makes sense and what the real answers are.

By Joshua S. Burnett

Email Josh at jburnett85@gmail.com

© 2010 Copyright Joshua S. Burnett - All Rights Reserved 

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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Comments

Jean  24 Jun 10, 11:57

Gulf Oil Spill-The Greatest Disaster Since The Flood?  Catholic private seers having been predicting all of the above. Prepare your soul