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Gulf oil full of methane, adding new concerns

post #1 of 11
6/18/10 at 8:46am
Thread Starter 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100618/...gulf_oil_spill

Quote:
By MATTHEW BROWN and RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI, Associated Press Writers Matthew Brown And Ramit Plushnick-masti, Associated Press Writers – 1 hr 9 mins ago
NEW ORLEANS – It is an overlooked danger in the oil spill crisis: The crude gushing from the well contains vast amounts of natural gas that could pose a serious threat to the Gulf of Mexico's fragile ecosystem.

The oil emanating from the seafloor contains about 40 percent methane, compared with about 5 percent found in typical oil deposits, said John Kessler, a Texas A&M University oceanographer who is studying the impact of methane from the spill.

That means huge quantities of methane have entered the Gulf, scientists say, potentially suffocating marine life and creating "dead zones" where oxygen is so depleted that nothing lives.

"This is the most vigorous methane eruption in modern human history," Kessler said.
Oh goodie, MORE good news.
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post #2 of 11
6/18/10 at 8:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckblv View Post
Ah, so then not allowing in small craft and un-inspected shipping with various internal combustion engines and generators, unshielded pump motors, high gain radar, inadequate fire protection, etc, etc into a potentially explosive atmosphere was the CORRECT DECISION? Cool beans.
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post #3 of 11
6/18/10 at 8:57am
You have oil deposits, you have methane. Given all of the geological changes that have occured on this planet it would make sense that the deeper the oil deposits are the older they are. What I'm wondering is if larger amounts of methane are common as older oil deposits are found?
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post #4 of 11
6/18/10 at 9:08am
Thread Starter 
Oh yes, definitely stop the clean up effort to count life jackets, if you don't live there, you just don't care much I guess. Except if there is a Republican President in office, of course. Then it is a huge deal.
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post #5 of 11
6/18/10 at 9:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckblv View Post
Oh yes, definitely stop the clean up effort to count life jackets, if you don't live there, you just don't care much I guess. Except if there is a Republican President in office, of course. Then it is a huge deal.
You seemed to have missed a lot of it Equipment inspection, fire extinguishers, etc. And yes, life jackets...the alternative being, if one of them falls overboard, flying a Coast Guard helicopter into a Methane/Oxygen atmosphere. Do you know how much heat a turbine engine produces, and how easily Methane is ignited?
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post #6 of 11
6/18/10 at 10:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skippymjp View Post
You seemed to have missed a lot of it Equipment inspection, fire extinguishers, etc. And yes, life jackets...the alternative being, if one of them falls overboard, flying a Coast Guard helicopter into a Methane/Oxygen atmosphere. Do you know how much heat a turbine engine produces, and how easily Methane is ignited?
Oh come on now, everyone knows Barack can walk on water, no worries.
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post #7 of 11
6/18/10 at 10:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckblv View Post
Oh come on now, everyone knows Barack can walk on water, no worries.
If you say so...personally, I never gave that story any credence.

Does this mean you don't know how easily methane is ignited?

http://east.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methane
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post #8 of 11
6/18/10 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Obama's Spill Recovery Chief Will Be Part-Time
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10949857

Quote:
President Barack Obama's point man charting a new future for the oil-poisoned Gulf Coast will do the job part-time. Some environmentalists said the job demands someone's full attention.
Ya think?
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post #9 of 11
6/18/10 at 1:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skippymjp View Post
Ah, so then not allowing in small craft and un-inspected shipping with various internal combustion engines and generators, unshielded pump motors, high gain radar, inadequate fire protection, etc, etc into a potentially explosive atmosphere was the CORRECT DECISION? Cool beans.
If it was so explosive, what happened to the methane in a day's time. They are still there with mechanical equipment pumping oil.
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post #10 of 11
6/18/10 at 1:44pm
I'm speculating, but the logical explanation is that it is now dispersed. Gasoline fumes don't ignite spontaneously either, unless there is a spark. And normally you can put gas in your car without causing a fire or explosion, but there have been cases in the US of static electricity causing fires at gas stations.
I don't know what kind of equipment these people have for pumping oil on the ocean surface but I do know that underground mines use special tools, switches etc that will not throw sparks (made from copper beryllium alloys) for that very reason. Also if you have a building that is expected to house hazardous gases (like H2S) you have to use explosion proof electrical switches.
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post #11 of 11
6/18/10 at 1:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by blueyedgirl5946 View Post
If it was so explosive, what happened to the methane in a day's time. They are still there with mechanical equipment pumping oil.
And they have been fully inspected for fire prevention and safety equipment, so that if they run into concentrations of methane, hopefully nothing will happen.
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