Methane Gas Explosion in the Gulf Could Kill Millions

BP found more than they bargained for in the Gulf - a mega pocket of highly pressurized methane gas. The worst environmental disaster in U. S. history has been unleashed on the Gulf coast. Now, millions of lives may be at risk from a deadly methane eruption.

Fueled by secrecy - fear, anxiety and suspicion are escalating. A devastating eruption of methane gas, buried deep beneath the sea floor, could absolutely decimate the region. Even worse, this eruption could inundate the low lying coast line with a tsunami. [1]

High Risk Area for Methane and Blowouts

The extreme methane risk was well known before drilling commenced. Geologists warned oil companies working in the area that massive pockets of methane gas exist. The risk for a blowout and methane explosion was considered to be extremely high. [1]

BP chose to drill an ultra deep well directly above such a pocket - this one as large as 20 miles in diameter.

Discoveries of natural gas are, of course, an important part of exploration. But the pressures of these methane pockets were predicted to be far higher than current technology can deal with. Typical well head pressures are in the 1,500 pounds per square inch range. [2] Geologists warned that gas pressures in this area could range between 30,000 and 70,000 psi. [6]

No drilling equipment can handle this amount of pressure. Given the extreme risks (and benefits) involved with drilling in this location, BP is keeping a tight lid on data regarding pressures and drilling depth. There is speculation that the drilling went to at least 30,000 feet - far deeper than the 18,500 foot drilling permit allowed. Even more speculation exists that BP was following Russia's lead in searching for highly controversial "abiotic oil", since biogenic oil and gas should not exist below the 15,000 foot level. [6]

Evidence for a Serious Methane Gas Threat

The threat of a methane gas explosion in the Gulf has been attributed to fear mongering. Is there any evidence to these claims? Robotic submarines are returning some very alarming video footage of methane gas hazards. Cracks and fissures are opening up on the sea floor over an area of several miles. A number of "pock marks" have appeared on the sea floor as far as 20 miles away from the original Macondo blow out. Oil and methane gas are escaping from areas that have never even been drilled.

Frighteningly, these fissures appear to be growing and connecting with each other. The methane pock marks are growing in size. Even worse, the weakened sea floor is being heaved up into a massive, fracturing, mound. A geological time bomb, previously locked away under miles of rock, has been disturbed. Fear is growing for the very grim possibility that a methane gas bubble, 15 to 20 miles in diameter, could indeed rupture the sea floor and escape with unimaginable violence. [1]

John Kessler of Texas A & M University, said "This is the most vigorous methane eruption in modern history". The oil contains 40% methane - much higher than the usual 5%. [3] Kessler found underwater methane in some areas that approached "a million times above background concentrations". [5]

In addition to methane, the EPA has found extremely high levels of benzene and hydrogen sulphide. Early H2S readings were 1,200 ppb - far higher than the allowed 5 - 10 ppb. [4]

It appears that BP did drill an ultra deep well, piercing an absolutely immense bubble of high pressure methane. Could they have unleashed a disaster that is unfolding with no possibility of reversal?

How Could the Ultimate BP Disaster Kill Millions?

The worst case scenarios are truly horrific. If this methane gas bubble ruptures the sea floor and unleashes itself, the devastation and loss of life would be unprecedented in human history. The loss of life would not be limited to oil field and spill clean up personnel - millions of lives all across the Gulf States could be at terrible risk.

The smallest problem: methane gas is not buoyant enough to float ships or oil rigs. Any vessels in the area would immediately sink. Similarly, aircraft cannot fly in methane - any aircraft would lose lift and simply fall out of the sky.

Any Underwater Disturbance can Cause a Tsunami. [7]

The amount of water displaced by such a methane gas bubble could easily generate a tsunami - likely of a magnitude that humanity has never seen before. A gigantic cavity would be left where the methane existed - which would immediately flood with sea water. Because of the extreme depths of the methane gas bubble, the temperatures are far above the boiling point of water. The icy sea water would explosively convert to steam, increase in volume dramatically, and erupt upwards to cause a second and possibly even larger tsunami. [1]

Looking at an elevation map of the Gulf and eastern seaboard of the United States, it's clear to see what kind of devastation a tsunami would cause. The gentle incline of the regions sea floor would force the tsunamis height to increase exponentially as it approaches the coast. The loss of life could very well be in the millions, making the Sumatra tsunami look trivial. Estimates for an earthquake generated tsunami in the region show 35 million lives could be in peril. [8]

Claims have been made that methane dissipates in water and simply cannot explode. But methane can and does rise to the surface and certainly can explode. In fact, the drilling rig itself was destroyed by a methane gas explosion seconds after the blowout. [9] This explosion and fire claimed 11 lives. But what would happen if the entire methane gas pocket was to erupt to the surface and explode?

Methane gas is explosive in atmospheric ratios between 5% and 15% - a wider range than gasoline. Hundreds of billions of cubic feet of methane could burst free in a matter of seconds - a situation that BP calls an "open communication to the sea floor". (8 billion cubic feet have already been released from the blown out well alone.) The possible detonation and fireball has been referred to as "biblical" in size and destruction - several times larger than the most powerful nuclear weapon ever exploded.

Environmental Catastrophe

Methane gas is 25 times more efficient as a global warming gas than carbon dioxide, over a 100 year period. [10] What could happen if all this methane erupted to the surface but did not explode? Those that survived the tsunamis would be spared the greatest explosion ever witnessed. Instead, a runaway acceleration of our global warming crisis could easily result.

Such releases of methane have happened before. 55 million years ago, uplifting tectonic plates began the process that created the Himalayas. Changes to the sea floor allowed mega pockets of methane gas to be released. Known as Late Paleocene Thermal Maximum, this period of global warming caused a temperature increase of 7 degrees Celsius. [11]

A temperature rise of this magnitude could potentially submerge our cities and our best agricultural land. Hundreds of millions of people, at the very least, could perish world wide through starvation and economic collapse.

The troubled Macondo well, far behind schedule, was turning into a financial horror show for BP. The crew, supervisors, and even Halliburton were gravely concerned about a major blowout . Blatant disregard for safety was shown right from the initial application through to the final explosion and sinking of the rig. Their efforts to save a few million dollars may dramatically change the course of history.

What if BP did punch an ultra deep well directly into a gargantuan pocket of methane - a pocket so deep that we have no experience with the pressures involved? What if the sea floor is beginning to unzip? Could this methane bubble tear through several miles of solid rock? Sedimentary rock, probably sandstone, isn't very solid really. It is already riddled with natural faults and has now been severely tampered with. Even hard granite is at risk because of it's vulnerability to crack propagation.

Will this liberated methane detonate in a "biblical fireball"? Will the Gulf States be inundated with a furious series of tsunamis? Will global warming accelerate at a pace we could not have imagined?

These are very grim questions that no one can answer. The situation is almost too frightening to believe. We've never experienced methane discharges or well pressures anywhere near these levels, and something very terrible is happening deep in the Gulf.

Terrible enough that detonating a nuclear blast to kill the well has been considered. As risky and radical as it sounds, the heat could cause a durable layer of glass to form over the entire problem. Or, it could make the problem worse - much worse...

Sources:

[1] Gulf Oil Gusher: Danger of Tsunamis from Methane?

[2] Kenneth S. Deffeyes, "Beyond Oil: The View From Hubbert's Peak

[3] Gulf Oil Full of Methane, Adding New Concerns

[4] BP Death Clouds Already Onshore!

[5] 1 million times the normal level of methane gas near the Gulf oil spill

[6] Coast to Coast AM Radio

[7]

[8] New Warning: U.S. Gulf Coast Faces High Tsunami Risk

[9] Worker: Transocean, BP argued before blast

[10] Methane

[11] Methane Explosion Warmed the Prehistoric Earth, Possible Again

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