Nalco Uses COREXIT® 9527 Oil Dispersant to Combat Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico

The article continues below...

***For further reading, click the following link: Exxon Report on Acute Aquatic Toxicity of Corexit 9500, 9527 & 9580 Oil Spill Response Products***

Here is a little information about the chemical that will be sprayed by Nalco into the Gulf of Mexico to break up the oil slick. The theory is the chemical will cause the oil to decompose and fall to the bottom of the sea where bacteria will consume the oil. The balance in nature will be restored - or so that is the hope.

If you click the above pictures and links, you can read the product sheet and the safety data sheet.

According to the safety data sheet, COREXIT is a hazardous substance. Does anyone know what effect(s), if any, this chemical will have on the Gulf of Mexico?

Nalco (NYSE:NLC), confirmed today it is providing oil dispersants and support to BP and the responders dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The company will continue to provide these dispersants as requested for as long as responders have the need.

“To date sales related to these dispersants have not had a material financial impact on our company,” said Nalco Chairman and CEO Erik Fyrwald. “But it is impossible to predict at this time how long this incident will last or the magnitude of the overall response needed.”

More information on Nalco's Oil Spill Dispersant programs

For another interview with Nalco (this time on Fox Business), click here or the picture.

If the below video does not play, click here to view the story on the CNBC website:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232/?video=1484044183&play=1

U.S. Farmers Demonstrate Use of Hay to Clean Up Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico

This is such a great video. Why is BP having such a hard time cleaning up this oil when these CW Roberts employees demonstrate what appears to be quite an easy way to clean up the mess? I would much rather be dropping hay into the Gulf of Mexico instead of dangerous proprietary chemicals.

FLASHBACK: BP Announced Today a Giant Oil Discovery at Its Tiber Prospect in Gulf of Mexico (Drilled by Deepwater Horizon)

Interesting that this BP press release coincides with the Transocean press release about digging the deepest oil well ever. This Tiber oil field was also drilled by Deepwater Horizon. What happens to the Gulf of Mexico if there is a disaster at this large oil field?

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Release date: 02 September 2009
BP announced today a giant oil discovery at its Tiber Prospect in the deepwater US Gulf of Mexico.

The well, located in Keathley Canyon block 102, approximately 250 miles (400 kilometres) south east of Houston, is in 4,132 feet (1,259 metres) of water. The Tiber well was drilled to a total depth of approximately 35,055 feet (10,685 metres) making it one of the deepest wells ever drilled by the oil and gas industry. The well found oil in multiple Lower Tertiary reservoirs. Appraisal will be required to determine the size and commerciality of the discovery.

"Tiber represents BP's second material discovery in the emerging Lower Tertiary play in the US Gulf of Mexico, following our earlier Kaskida discovery," said Andy Inglis, chief executive, Exploration and Production. "These material discoveries together with our industry leading acreage position support the continuing growth of our deepwater Gulf of Mexico business into the second half of the next decade."

Tiber is operated by BP (NYSE: BP), with a 62 per cent working interest with co-owners Petrobras (NYSE: PBR/PBRA, 20 per cent) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP, 18 per cent).
Note to editors:

BP is the largest producer of oil and gas in the US Gulf of Mexico with net production of over 400,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. BP is progressing nine US Gulf of Mexico projects: Atlantis Phase 2, Tubular Bells, Kodiak, Freedom, Kaskida, Isabela, Santa Cruz, Mad Dog tiebacks and Great White.

Major BP developments in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico include: Pompano, 1994; Marlin, 2000; Horn Mountain, 2002; Na Kika, 2003; Holstein, 2004; Mad Dog, 2005, Atlantis, 2007, Thunder Horse 2008.

BP has a leading acreage position in the emerging Lower Tertiary area of the Gulf of Mexico. BP's first major discovery in the Lower Tertiary was Kaskida in 2006 which is currently under appraisal.

Further information:
Office: BP London Press Office
Phone: +44 2074964076

Contact: Daren Beaudo
Office: BP Houston
Phone: +1 281 366 8346

Exxon Valdez is Now An Ore Carrier Vessel Renamed Dong Fang Ocean

In light of the recent explosion, collapse and oil emission of the destroyed Deepwater Horizon complex, I remember back to the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska in 1989. While there is no doubt to the devastation brought by the Exxon Valdez, it is interesting that the Exxon Valdez is not even in the Top 10 of worst oil spills ever. I would have expected the Exxon Valdez to have least been in the Top 5.

As I thought about the Exxon Valdez, I wondered whatever happened to the tragic ship? Was the ship rusting in some yard of hulks? Was it still delivering oil for Exxon or other oil countries?

Nope, the Exxon Valdez has been renamed a few times, but it is now an ore carrying ship called the Dong Fang Ocean. The above picture is the Dong Fang Ocean vessel (a/k/a the Exxon Valdez).

From The Maritime:

In 2002 it the ship was put in a lay-up status somewhere along a forgotten section of coast near East Asia. The ship was later re-flagged in the Marshall Islands and re-named the Mediterranean. The ship was eventually sold in January of 2008 to Hong Kong Bloom Shipping Ltd. and was re-named the Dong Fang Ocean with the intention to use the ship as an Ore Carrier.

Nearly Five Hundred (500) Barrels of Oil Remain in Alaska's Prince William Sound Region from Exxon Valdez Spill

Just in case you were wondering about the state of affairs in Prince William Sound over 20 years after the infamous Exxon Valdez spill.

An estimated 64 tonnes of oil (approximately 460 barrels) remains in the region, emitting toxins along the once pristine coastline of Prince William Sound. Mostly, it is found in the sea sediments, where the crude oil chemicals continue to hurt birds, fish and mammals.

"We are surprised to see that much and more surprised to see it in a relatively fresh looking toxic state," says Tiller in a worried voice. "If you dig it up in the right spot, it smells and looks exactly like oil."

Source: Earth Times

FLASHBACK: Rep. Harold Ford Sr. (D-TN) Discusses Issues of Race in Politics at Capital Press Club on June 18, 1991

Click the above picture or this link to watch the video.

From CSPAN.com:

Rep. Ford faces trial for fraud in his home district of Memphis, Tennessee. The first proceeding ended in a mistrial when the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Rep. Ford discussed his trial and the "continued persecution of black elected officials."

Shelby County, Tennessee 2010 Primary Election Coverage

I will be out on location for the next couple of days covering the Shelby County, Tennessee primary elections. I will be twittering at http://twitter.com/RemixxWorld, so check there or on this page's Twitter side bar for the latest news & information. I will probably not be updating the blog on here until Wednesday evening on May 5, 2010.

Thanks for reading Remixx World!

FLASHBACK: Transocean's Deepwater Horizon Drills World's Deepest Oil and Gas Well (September 2009)

Crews battle the blazing remnants of Deepwater Horizon on April 21, 2010

Like something out of a bad action movie starring LL Cool J and Samuel Jackson. It even has a Hollywood name - Deepwater Horizon. Here is a press release from September 2009.

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Transocean's Ultra-Deepwater Semisubmersible Rig Deepwater Horizon Drills World's Deepest Oil and Gas Well

ZUG, Switzerland, Sept. 2, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transocean Ltd. (NYSE:RIG) today announced that its ultra-deepwater semisubmersible rig Deepwater Horizon recently drilled the deepest oil and gas well ever while working for BP and its co-owners on the Tiber well in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Working with BP, the Transocean crews on the Deepwater Horizon drilled the well to 35,050 vertical depth and 35,055 feet measured depth (MD), or more than six miles, while operating in 4,130 feet of water.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6568

"This impressive well depth record reflects the intensive planning and focus on effective operations by BP and the drilling crews of the Deepwater Horizon," said Robert L. Long, Transocean Ltd.'s Chief Executive Officer. "Congratulations to everyone involved."

These achievements are the latest in Transocean's history of world and other records dating back to the 1950s. In 2005, the ultra-deepwater drillship Discoverer Spirit set the record for the longest Gulf of Mexico oil and gas well at 34,189 feet, MD. Most recently, the Transocean jackup GSF Rig 127 drilled the industry's longest extended-reach well in 2008 while working for Maersk Oil Qatar AS at 40,320 feet MD with a 35,770-foot horizontal section. The well was drilled offshore Qatar in 36 days and was incident-free.

Transocean also holds the current world water-depth record of operating in 10,011 feet of water set while working for Chevron in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

The Deepwater Horizon, placed into service in 2001, is a dynamically positioned ultra-deepwater semisubmersible rig capable of working in water depths of up to 10,000 feet.

Transocean Ltd. is the world's largest offshore drilling contractor and the leading provider of drilling management services worldwide. With a fleet of 135 mobile offshore drilling units plus eight announced ultra-deepwater newbuild units, the company's fleet is considered one of the most modern and versatile in the world due to its emphasis on technically demanding segments of the offshore drilling business. The company owns or operates a contract drilling fleet of 41 High-Specification Floaters (Ultra-Deepwater, Deepwater and Harsh-Environment semisubmersibles and drillships), 26 Midwater Floaters, 10 High-Specification Jackups, 55 Standard Jackups and other assets utilized in the support of offshore drilling activities worldwide.

The Transocean Ltd. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2252

CONTACT: Transocean Ltd.
Analyst Contact:
Gregory S. Panagos
+1 713-232-7551
Media Contact:
Guy A. Cantwell
+1 713-232-7647

Why is President Obama Sending S.W.A.T. Teams to Gulf of Mexico to Inspect All Oil Platforms & Rigs?

Shouldn't we be worried about the spill at Deepwater Horizon instead of sending S.W.A.T. to all other oil platforms and rigs? Hmmmmm. I wonder if the media is silent about Deepwater Horizon possibly being the target of a terrorist or state-sponsored attack.

British Petroleum Pulls Waiver Forms Asking Louisiana Fisherman to Sign Away Rights to Sue

First, BP has a drilling platform that it cannot shut down. Second, BP requests the local fisherman help with the oil cleanup and prevention operation. Third, the fishermen agree, because their way of life is at stake. In exchange for the fishermen's offers of help, BP issues a standard full release of liability to the fishermen. Whoops! Realizing its mistake and hearing a lot of complaints, BP has pulled the forms.

British Petroleum has withdrawn one of its waiver forms after fishermen in Venice, a town bracing for the arrival of an oil slick from the company's leaking rig, complained BP was trying to “pull the wool over our eyes” by asking them to sign away all rights to sue.

The waiver form was distributed Saturday at a Venice public school, where the company was offering a health and safety class for locals whom it says it will hire. Though a spokeswoman said the company does not yet know exactly what positions it's hiring for, it was accepting applications and, with them, the signed waivers.

Source: The Globe and Mail