Costner Oil Extraction Machines: BP Wants 32 to Help with Gulf Oil Spill Cleanup

In a recent twist concerning the largest oil spill in this world's history that happened on April 20 2010, Kevin Costner has petitioned Congress and the House Subcommittee on the Environment for the go ahead to use his "first response oil spill" clean up technology; oil and water separating machines. He received the OK needed for testing and BP received one machine for the same. BP reportedly wants 32 more of the machines, that could save the environment and the company, according to a letter of intent sent to Costner's representatives.

So Why Wait?

BP has yet to cut a check to pay for the environment saving machines. This lack of payment from BP comes on the heels of Doug Suttles, BP's CEO, whose approval of the use of six of the oil spill machines for testing purposes and the company set them for deployment in the Gulf of Mexico. They have since tested them and know they will work. Each of the largest of these machines cost approximately $500,000, which is a total of $16 million that BP must fork over to Costner. This amount is a good portion of the $75 million cap the government placed on oil spill damages in 1989 when the Alaskan Exxon Valdez oil spill happened.

Costner himself shelled out $24 million of his own fortune with Ocean Therapy Solutions to build the oil extraction machines and over a million more for testing of the machine. What people-and Mr. Costner-want to know, however, is what exactly is BP waiting for? Since BP and Congress have already OK'd the deal, it should be a go right? Wrong. Regulations for strict testing were preventing the machine's deployment any sooner than June 12 2010. However, in a statement made over the telephone, Costner said they have no need for further testing and that he hopes to ramp up the deployment. While he has no say as to where BP deploys them; BP and local government make this decision.

How Does the Technology Work?

The technology itself works as a filter, and the largest capacity machine, of which there are five sizes, is 112 inches tall and weighs 2-1/2 tons. It sucks in 210,000 gallons of water a day, spins it in a centrifuge-like chamber then spills the water out the other side. The spinning action separates the crude oil from the water and jettisons them out as separate liquids. Incidentally, the machine allows for the collection of the crude oil, which can then be sold again. Mr. Costner plans to resell this oil collected and donate 80 percent of the profits to all those affected along the Gulf Coast.

This technology, developed by Mr. Costner and his brother, has the capability to clean out at least 97 percent of any oil in the water, leaving it clear of any of the Gulf Oil spilled into it. Mr. Costner and his brother both agree that after making some simple adjustments to the filtration system, the amount could easily reach 100 percent and the water would be safe to drink when it came out the clean end.

Worst Case Beginnings

The Gulf oil spill, triggered on April 20, 2010 when an underwater Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, killing 11 people. The wellhead, which is about 5,000 feet below the surface, is now spilling out an estimated 840,000 gallons a day, however most experts agree that the real amount spilling out is much more than that; 4.2 million gallons a day is the worst case scenario as told by the experts. BP estimates only half that. These estimates have doubled and otherwise risen daily since the day the spill started. This amount equates to an entire Exxon Valdez oil spill every five days the oil continues to flow form the tear in the pipes.

The clean up and the attempts to kill the spill have so far been unsuccessful and in fact were possibly made worse by some of the attempts. As of now, the best chance the environment has to recover form the damage is with the Costner bothers' machines and BP paying them for the machines as soon as they can.

"Exxon Valdez Oil Spill," The Encyclopedia of Earth
Lea Weinerman, "Extent of Oil Spill Still Remains Unlcear, "The Run Down News Blog
BP Website: List of Press Released Concerning Gulf Oil Spill
Michael d'Esttines, "How Kevin Costner's Oil Filtration Works," The Mother Nature Network
Louis Sahagun, "Gulf Oil Spill 'Kevin Costner Solution' Has Green Light but No Green," Los Angeles TImes