Deepwater Horizon: What really happened and the real risks
Horizon was drilling in an area know for large deposits of methane hydrates. There is actually a methane hydrate research station less than 20 miles
away in the same canyon. Many oil companies and experts prefer to avoid drilling in areas with known deposits of methane hydrate because of the
multiple dangers involved. BP not only took those risks but used many time and money saving shortcuts that were in violation of safety regulations.
These deposits are only stable in a limited range of pressure and temperature. It has previously been released on the news that methane hydrate was
responsible for the explosion Deepwater Horizon. When the narrow range of stability disappears the methane hydrate changes to a gaseous state and
expands to 160 times its former volume very rapidly. This explains the explosion of the rig and the continuing leak of gas and oil at very high
pressure from the ongoing conversion of the methane hydrate. This also gives the water a reddish tinge and may do the same in the atmosphere when
released in large quantities.
The force from this expansion very likely has blown out multiple locations some of which must be leaking at a much greater rate than the video being
provided to the public. The amount of gas leaking is on the order of thousands of times greater than the oil being released.
Some immediate risks are a slope slide or a collapse of the sea floor which can result in tsunamis.
Much of the oil risk is well documented from other spills. What is different about this one is the extensive use of the dispersant Corexit. What this
does is break the oil up into smaller particles and allows much of the oil to remain submersed far deeper than has ever occurred with other spills.
The smaller particles create a larger surface area allowing for faster contamination of the environment. Also the depth at which the oil can linger in
will kill an area of marine life that would not have happened without it’s use. On top of that Corexit is oil and water soluble so toxic rain will
be falling killing life and poisoning crops and water supplies.
The methane hydrate is a greater problem. Release of it in large amounts has led to an extinction events on earth several times in the past. In the
Permian Extinction it is credited with killing off 96% of all marine species. The breakdown of methane hydrate, (and oil in the ocean), uses large
amounts of oxygen both in the water and the atmosphere. This will create dead zones in the water and in sufficient quantities on land also. High
concentrations (5% and above) can also ignite on land creating firestorms.
Methane hydrate released into the atmosphere contributes to global warming 62 times more effectively than carbon dioxide for 20 years. For many
decades beyond that it is still 21 times more effective than carbon dioxide. The global warming releases more methane hydrate so the cycle snowballs
and is unstoppable.
Not enough is known about methane hydrate yet to determine how interconnected deposits may be or the volume that may be released in the gulf. Starting
a large scale release like this is like starting an avalanche at the top of a mountain with all life on earth waiting at the base and seeing if it
stops before reaching them.
Sealing this should be the number one goal on the entire planet. It looks to be quite difficult and possibly may take a nuclear bomb. The risks with
the failure of such an attempt could lead to a greatly accelerated release of methane hydrate allowing for the dead zones and firestorm possibilities
mentioned above. Also possible would be tsunamis on a scale not scene before.
We do not know how long this oil/gas release will continue or the volume of each with any certainty but the fact the above scenarios are even possible
should greatly concern everyone.
Methane hydrate references