Texas A&M: Methane Levels In Gulf Of Mexico Up To 1,000,000 x Normal! Thats ONE MILLION!

reply to post by Doc Velocity


That's not why I'm reading this thread man. I have alot of friends who live in New Orleans. When I hear that Methane levels in the Gulf are at a level 1,000,000x more then normal then I think its only human nature to take such a ridiculously high number and instantly relate it to "large-scale" disasters. Please excuse my ignorance in the realm of geology, but at how many other locations other than large volcano eruptions are readings that high for any gas.

I have been hoping and praying every second since about three weeks into the oil spill (when I realized its broad scope), that nothing drastic happens down there. What else can I do than educate myself on the subject and then pass the knowledge on down to my friends who are 'near ground zero'?

John Wathen video.

reply to post by Doc Velocity


two things.

1. Nothing about this spill is natural. I am aware that natural oil leaks occur. Maybe we have never seen one of this magnitude but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. But it doesn't mean it has either.

2. Corexit 9500. Mother Nature doesn't have a fleet of airplanes dropping neuro-toxins on every natural spill that happens.

Even if what you say is true, what BP is doing right now is ALTERING what would be a natural response by nature. No one has any idea what this Corexit is going to do over a huge area over a period of time right before Hurricane season. Maybe that's the point? They want to drive the oil down as fast as possible to keep it from being picked up and dumped on people. In that case then it takes the oil/toxic soup down to the ocean floor. What then no sea life down there anymore? Not to mention the huge amount of methane that is settling down there. I wonder if Corexit is the "wonder" catalyst that will allow methane to ignite when there is normally no chance of it happening......who knows...I am just saying. Telling people that this is all ok and nothing to worry about seems a bit pre-mature.

[edit on 30-6-2010 by Savage206]

I am just saying. Telling people that this is all ok and nothing to worry about seems a bit pre-mature.

[edit on 30-6-2010 by Savage206]

It's funny how whenever someone comes on here and responds with a bit of reason and logic to a thread that postulates that ""ZOMG!!! the world is gonna implode!!!!!!! "" people come back and claim said person is saying "Oh, everything is FINE. I drink Corexit every day".

Go back and argue what he actually said, not what you think he said.

Links related to very high methane concentrations

Text

Text[/headline

This is a page linked to a J. M. Herndon page on the internet dealing with ultra-high levels of methane in the gulf waters.

nuclearplanet.com...

This is a web page that has papers by J M. Herndon including a hard science paper on methane production in deep earth or created from plate tectonics.

[The page for teachers for teaching earth science]http://nuclearplanet.com/[/url]

Peter Ward speaks on tests in Florida that show methane concentrations 100,000 higher than normal. Concentrations as high as 1,000,000 times as high were found in several other locations near (8 miles) the well head. With presures as high 100,000 lbs per sq/in it is estimated that the well must be at least 30,000 ft deep and not the 18,000ft that was permitted under the lease.

reply to post by kingpaddy


can you link to the exact page on the nuclear planet site...so many articles on there and I can't see a link to the one you said talks about the methane content in the gulf...thanks

Since we have so many threads on the oil spill I am going to add this article here.

It is in relation to the methane, and hydrocarbons. Scientist now believe there is a bulge in the oceans crust.

*(note I purposely did not make another thread to avoid alarming people needlessly! The information in the article is scary and I advise all of us to use common sense and research the geophysics involved in this occurring.)

How the ultimate BP Gulf disaster could kill millions

Disturbing evidence is mounting that something frightening is happening deep under the waters of the Gulf of Mexico—something far worse than the BP oil gusher.


Warnings were raised as long as a year before the Deepwater Horizon disaster that the area of seabed chosen by the BP geologists might be unstable, or worse, inherently dangerous.

What makes the location that Transocean chose potentially far riskier than other potential oil deposits located at other regions of the Gulf? It can be summed up with two words: methane gas.



The same methane that makes coal mining operations hazardous and leads to horrendous mining accidents deep under the earth also can present a high level of danger to certain oil exploration ventures.

Location of Deepwater Horizon oil rig was criticized

More than 12 months ago some geologists rang the warning bell that the Deepwater Horizon exploratory rig might have been erected directly over a huge underground reservoir of methane.

Documents from several years ago indicate that the subterranean geologic formation may contain the presence of a huge methane deposit.

None other than the engineer who helped lead the team to snuff the Gulf oil fires set by Saddam Hussein to slow the advance of American troops has stated that a huge underground lake of methane gas—compressed by a pressure of 100,000 pounds per square inch (psi)—could be released by BP's drilling effort to obtain the oil deposit.

Current engineering technology cannot contain gas that is pressurized to 100,000 psi.

By some geologists' estimates the methane could be a massive 15 to 20 mile toxic and explosive bubble trapped for eons under the Gulf sea floor. In their opinion, the explosive destruction of the Deepwater Horizon wellhead was an accident just waiting to happen.

Yet the disaster that followed the loss of the rig pales by comparison to the apocalyptic disaster that may come.

A cascading catastrophe

According to worried geologists, the first signs that the methane may burst its way through the bottom of the ocean would be fissures or cracks appearing on the ocean floor near the damaged well head.

Evidence of fissures opening up on the seabed have been captured by the robotic submersibles working to repair and contain the ruptured well. Smaller, independent plumes have also appeared outside the nearby radius of the bore hole itself.

According to some geological experts, BP's operations set into motion a series of events that may be irreversible. Step-by-step the drilling

www.helium.com...

I don't know much about the site. Is anyone familiar with it? This would help sort out fact from fiction.

The article continues for 2 more pages. If this is valid and other scientists are leaning in this direction, then we have and unprecedented threat right before us.

Personally, I am overwhelmed by all that is happening in the Gulf. We need to take a deep breath and look at the situation objectively and rationally.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread, you have brought valuable information to many.

Pax

reply to post by paxnatus



A link from your article to a paper discussing periodic eruptions of Methane:
www.sciencedaily.com...

Report about the Late Paleocene Thermal Maximum (LPTM), which occurred around 55 million years ago and lasted about 100,000 years. Large undersea methane caused explosions and mass extinctions.

And now more good news from pages 2 and 3 of your article:

While the entire Gulf coastline is vulnerable, the state most exposed to the fury of a supersonic wave towering 150 to 200 feet or more is Florida. The Sunshine State only averages about 100 feet above sea level with much of the coastline and lowlands and swamps near zero elevation.

A supersonic tsunami would literally sweep away everything from Miami to the panhandle in a matter of minutes. Loss of human life would be virtually instantaneous and measured in the millions. Of course the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and southern region of Georgia—a state with no Gulf coastline—would also experience tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of casualties.

Loss of property is virtually incalculable and the days of the US position as the world's superpower would be literally gone in a flash...of detonating methane.

Elevation Map of Coastline:
www.netstate.com...

With the emerging evidence of fissures, the quiet fear now is the methane bubble rupturing the seabed and exploding into the Gulf waters. If the bubble escapes, every ship, drilling rig and structure within the region of the bubble will instantaneously sink. All the workers, engineers, Coast Guard personnel and marine biologists measuring the oil plumes' advance will instantly perish.

As horrible as that is, what would follow is an event so potentially horrific that it equals in its fury the Indonesian tsunami that killed more than 600,000, or the destruction of Pompeii by Mt. Vesuvius.

The ultimate Gulf disaster, however, would make even those historical horrors pale by comparison. If the huge methane bubble breaches the seabed, it will erupt with an explosive fury similar to that experienced during the eruption of Mt. Saint Helens in the Pacific Northwest.

Folks.....there is really no way to exaggerate the potential of this disaster. Everything you are imagining probably doesn't compare to the reality of such an event.

Either the relief wells work and we recover over the next couple of years, or the relief wells don't work and we begin to slowly migrate North as the Fears and Job Shortages and Housing Debacle drive us away from our beloved Gulf Coast.

A carbonate/hydrate mound in Mississippi Canyon Lease Block 118 (MC118) has been chosen by the Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium to be the site of a sea-floor observatory.

This site MC118 is less then 20 miles from Deep Horizon drill site Mississippi Canyon block 252.

GAS COMPOSITION
Gas samples have been collected in the SW Complex from three vents and one intact piece of outcropping hydrate. Chemical analyses [1] show the vent gas to be thermogenic from deep hot source rocks and to average 95% methane, 3% ethane, 1% propane with minor other gases. There is no significant biogenic component. The outcropping hydrate is Structure II with gas composition 70% methane, 7.5% ethane, 15.9% propane with minor other gases. The difference between the gas compositions from the vents and the hydrate is due to molecular fractionation during hydrate crystallization (Sassen, pers. com.).

www.olemiss.edu...

Heres a video from 2006 from site MC118 which shows the methane bubbling up from the sea floor.

www.olemiss.edu...

Heres a picture from the Gulf of Mexico Hydrates Research Consortium looking toward Deep Horizon leak site.

reply to post by JBA2848


Please post this in every Methane thread! People don't realize that there was a pre-existing risk here, and that the Deep Horizon/Macondo Well is a major development in an already dangerous situation. Some scientists are now looking for a "cascade" event from the oil/gas leak right into a major cyclical, extinction level event. We may have taken a million year cycle of methane eruptions and sped it up by tapping into a reservoir that we don't have the technology to contain.

Here are the other threads that could really benefit from your post:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Nevermid. Isn't worth it anymore.

[edit on 1-7-2010 by EnkiCarbone]

reply to post by EnkiCarbone


Did you read JBA's post?

Or Apacheman's thread?

Or have you read the rest of this thread? Professor Joye's blog? The Texas A&M research?

I haven't read one word of Hoagland's stuff. I don't listen to CoasttoCoast, I don't subscribe to Webbot, and yet, through my own research of credible sites, and my own experience as a chemist, and my own contacts in State Government, somehow I reach the same conclusion.

The threat is real. Hopefully it is low in probability, and hopefully the relief wells work, and hopefully the flaring of Methane works, and hopefully the seafloor fractures are only from a ruptured well pipe, but that is a lot of hopefullys! If we don't get lucky on all the "best-case scenarios" then we have to be prepared for the "worst case scenarios!"

reply to post by getreadyalready


Hello getreadyalready

I have a few questions and hopefully you can answer them

First, iyo, do you think the relief wells can handle the pressures of the gasses and oil?
I understand they will use the mud this time instead of seawater but do you think the BOP's they are going to use are capable of handling such pressures, even if they do everything right this time?

Is Professor Joye concerned about these high levels of methane gasses?

Are you thinking of moving out of Florida if the relief wells fail?


I set containers out yesterday to catch the rain water, to my delight, I saw no visible signs of oil.

I was wondering what the results of your rain water tests are?

Thank you in advance

[edit on 1-7-2010 by sweetliberty]

[edit on 1-7-2010 by sweetliberty]

Originally posted by Tgautier13
reply to post by Doc Velocity

 

Please excuse my ignorance in the realm of geology, but at how many other locations other than large volcano eruptions are readings that high for any gas.

My bedroom was probably over that amount last night, but I did have about 5 bean and cheese burritos.


Kidding........

Sorry to make light of the situation but I live on the Gulf Coast close to Panama City, Florida. With all the bad news coming out daily regarding the oil disaster, humor is helping me stay sane.

I can actually see the Gulf/Bay from my window (If you think this means I'm just some spoiled rich person, that could not be further from the truth. I live check to check and I'm a full-time student that will have tons of loans to pay back).

And to those that say "we should just move", most of the people in my town struggle to put food on the table must less have the means to move.

It's interesting to read and play with CT theories & disasters when they could happen to someone else. When your actually sitting right in the thick of one it really hits home, which is good because it helps me to empathize (empathy seems to be a trait many ATSers lack) with others.

With all the potential outcomes not a single one is good. Environment being destroyed, way of life being destroyed, toxic fumes and rain, evacuation and/or desertion of our homes/towns, now a tsunami......

It's is quite humorous to hear all the naysayers complain that it's just the usual gloom and doom, end of the world rabble. Very simplistic IMHO.

At the very best we are looking at our environment destroyed, our local economy destroyed, our real estate market crashing, the possible long term abandonment of our homes, towns and cities, short and long-term health effects.

To the small part of the country that lives and works on the Gulf Coast the best case scenario is gloomy and doomy.

The repercussions will be felt by everyone. The un-empathetic emotionally infantile people who like to tow the "nothing to see here" line and refer to our disaster as "just an oil spill, no big deal" will surely be recanting when our economy really crashes and the full effects of this disaster are felt (or more likely pretending they knew it would be really bad all along).

Our already struggling economy can in no way support millions of displaced workers, let alone the Gulf Coast real estate market that will crash along with loss of industry.

At least with a tsunami it will probably be over with pretty quick, better then rotting away with Leukemia and dying a slow painful death caused by the toxic vapors...

That's something positive...






[edit on 1-7-2010 by lucentenigma]

Originally posted by sweetliberty
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

First, iyo, do you think the relief wells can handle the pressures of the gasses and oil?
I understand they will use the mud this time instead of seawater but do you think the BOP's they are going to use are capable of handling such pressures, even if they do everything right this time?

No.

Is Professor Joye concerned about these high levels of methane gasses?

Very.

Are you thinking of moving out of Florida if the relief wells fail?

I'd be planning on leaving within the next month, and that might be too late for some, regardless of what the relief wells do. Toxic fumes will be a way of life for at least the next six months to 20 years.

I set containers out yesterday to catch the rain water, to my delight, I saw no visible signs of oil.

Keep watching, but without testing, you can't tell what else is in the rainwater.

Not addressed to me but that's what I thinkabout it.

Originally posted by sweetliberty
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

First, iyo, do you think the relief wells can handle the pressures of the gasses and oil? I understand they will use the mud this time instead of seawater but do you think the BOP's they are going to use are capable of handling such pressures, even if they do everything right this time?

I think the friction mud polymer/cement combo is capable of stopping the existing leak, however I really don't know if the BOP and casing for the relief wells are capable of holding up against the pressures and overcoming them to get the mud in the hole. That part certainly has me very concerned! If they get the mud in the hole, I think it will work.

Is Professor Joye concerned about these high levels of methane gasses?

Yes, but she is more concerned with Dead Zones and Oxygen depletion. She doesn't address the explosive possiblity. She is a biologist (I think) so her main concern is the sea life. However, she is optimistic about the conditions for the bacteria and enzymes to eat through this oil. She claims the conditions are ideal for nature to take its course. (First we have to stop the dam leak though.)

Are you thinking of moving out of Florida if the relief wells fail?

Unfortunately, YES! I don't want to go, I won't be forced out, I want the leak stopped, and I want to help Florida recover, but I am not so stupid or naive to just wait on the Government. If the relief wells fail, or if I hear of them considering the Nuke option, or if I hear of any evacuations, I will be out of here in a flash!

I set containers out yesterday to catch the rain water, to my delight, I saw no visible signs of oil.

I was wondering what the results of your rain water tests are?

Thank you in advance

[edit on 1-7-2010 by sweetliberty]

[edit on 1-7-2010 by sweetliberty]

I haven't seen any oil in my collections so far. "Cloudsinthesky" is coordiinating with a lab to send our samples to. I am trying to get friends of mine in Panama City and Pensacola to take samples as well.

The reason I started collecting is because I saw some oily rainbow residue on my windshield after using the wipers a few days ago. That got me very concerned! The next day my wife noticed a rainbow sheen on the water in the ditch next to my house. Both of those instances could be a result of road oils, but I don't remember ever seeing anything like that before. Then again, I am surely extra sensitive to it right now. Therefore I decided to start taking samples of the falling water to rule out any other sources for the oil.

reply to post by getreadyalready


Today's rainwater collection is much "dirtier" than yesterdays. The oil in my ditch is apparent again, the rain water sample has a little bit of color to it and a lot of floaties. (could be from the pollen or trees) I don't see any oily surface on the water.

For the record, I have had a terrible time keeping the pH in my pool up this year. I tested my two rain samples and both of them came up with pH around 6.2 - 6.5. Very acidic for rain! Our usual rain is 6.8 - 7.2 or almost neutral.

Clouds, where do I send my samples?

Originally posted by Whine Flu
It's over NINE THOUUUUSAAAAAAAND!

LOL!!!

Not sure how many others get that, but they messed it up in DBZ kai...he says 8000 for some odd reason?


Yeah, I live in Florida right near Tampa...I'll let everyone on ATS know when a tsunami is heading my way.

reply to post by paxnatus


That methane is replacing the oxygen in the water, my concern is will this increase the temperature of the gulf because of this new addition to the mix. Oil which can absorb and hold the heat in the water and Methane which absorbs heat alot better than oxygen and CO2. If the gulf gets warm enough, on top of th oil and chemicals destroying it the heated water will be warm enough to do damage to the ecosystem. And then who knows, with the water warmer than usual we may see massive rain storms and/or hurricans being formed during the fall and then see moisture being pumped into the north in the winter time making it possible to have massive snow storms.


science.howstuffworks.com...

Alrightythen,.. So... one thing I have been awakening to is how this site has a tendency to attempt to spread fear. I will not say this event is not a very bad thing,.. however,.. why are we not hearing of this in the MSM? Like Anderson Cooper on CNN. That would be unprecedented reporting. What, afraid to cause mass panic? If this was truly a dangerous situation then we would be aware of it.
Now,The reason I say these things is 70% of the stuff that is brought up on this site is sooo blown outta proportion and does not happen.
Try to keep in mind that this is a conspiracy site and articles are often created from opinion.