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Federal study confirms microbes have eaten most of the Gulf Oil Spill
Examiner.com ^ | January 10th, 2011 2:30 pm ET | John Ryden

Posted on 01/10/2011 9:09:44 PM PST by brityank

Federal study confirms microbes have eaten most of the Gulf Oil Spill

A study by researchers from Texas A&M and University of California in Santa Barbara have found that all of the methane gas released from the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico have been consumed by tiny microbes. Methane gas amounts 100,000 times higher than normal at the time of their release have completely disappeared after only 120 days. Some scientists had raised concerns that dissolved methane and other oil residue would continue to plague the Gulf for years or even decades. This is turning out not to be the case.

Confirming that the methane gas has been consumed was a corresponding drop in dissolved oxygen content in the water consistent with the oxygen required to convert the methane into water and carbon dioxide by the microbes. High levels of methane eating bacteria were also found in the water where the methane gas had previously been measured.

Microbes are also cleaning up the spilled oil. In a report last month, federal officials said there was no longer any significant oil from the spill left offshore. What should be clear is that natural processes can clean up oil spills over time.


(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bacteria; bp; cleanup; deepwater; gulf; gulfofmexico; methane; microbes; oil; oilspill; spill
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"What should be clear is that natural processes can clean up oil spills over time."

So much for the "eons of damage" that the faux Greenazi 'scientists' were pushing.

CHU - DID YOU READ THAT?

(Yes, I know there's still lots on the seafloor, but that will get covered by the deposition of the outflow from the continental shelf. The damage to the Gulf by the government is ten times worse than the Deepwater blowout.)

1 posted on 01/10/2011 9:09:55 PM PST by brityank
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To: brityank
"Federal study confirms microbes have eaten most of the Gulf Oil Spill."

What a waste of potential gasoline.

2 posted on 01/10/2011 9:12:51 PM PST by StormEye
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To: brityank
Nonsense,I would like to see a major science community respond to this insane statement.
3 posted on 01/10/2011 9:13:57 PM PST by taxtruth (Don't end the fed,jail the fed!)
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: brityank

The microbes’ reply was: “OM NOM NOM...”


5 posted on 01/10/2011 9:15:05 PM PST by SIDENET ("If that's your best, your best won't do." -Dee Snider)
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To: brityank
Interesting. Apparently, microbes only eat oil when Democrats are POTUS. Exxon Valdes microbes must have been Republicans! The Media is BS!
6 posted on 01/10/2011 9:15:35 PM PST by April Lexington (Study the Constitution so you know what they are taking away!)
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To: April Lexington

the water in the Gulf Of Mexico is warmer so there are more microbes to eat it up.


7 posted on 01/10/2011 9:17:46 PM PST by calljack (Sometimes your worst nightmare is just a start.)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: brityank
"Some scientists had raised concerns that dissolved methane and other oil residue would continue to plague the Gulf for years or even decades. This is turning out not to be the case."

Pull their PhD's and strip them of tenure.

9 posted on 01/10/2011 9:19:27 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: brityank

But, but, but, the oil is what’s stopping the jet stream flow and making it soooo cold!


10 posted on 01/10/2011 9:19:40 PM PST by Free Vulcan (The cult of Islam must be eradicated by any means necessary.)
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To: brityank

The earth can take care of itself. The Marsh Arabs, who had lived in the marshes of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers for several millenia until Saddam Hussein had them drained, simply breached the levies and the marsh healed itself very quickly.


11 posted on 01/10/2011 9:20:48 PM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Islam is the religion of Satan and Mohammed was his minion.)
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To: brityank

During WWII, many thousands of ships were sunk, most fired by fuel oil and many were tankers hauling fuel.

There was no Greenpeace or EPA, and yet, the worl survived.


12 posted on 01/10/2011 9:25:53 PM PST by umgud
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To: umgud

True,but were they near a major food source like the Gulf?


13 posted on 01/10/2011 9:27:35 PM PST by taxtruth (Don't end the fed,jail the fed!)
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To: taxtruth

And your qualifications are ... ?

I don’t have any, but I do question - especially when there’s boatloads of money involved.


14 posted on 01/10/2011 9:30:55 PM PST by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)
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To: Paladin2

I agree.


15 posted on 01/10/2011 9:31:29 PM PST by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)
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To: brityank
This from the end of the article:

The economics of global warming and climate change imply that we should take steps to mitigate the release of carbon dioxide and the resulting increase in temperatures. We do not need to make drastic, immediate changes in our energy production from fossil fuels, but we should start to replace some of our fossil fuel consumption with renewable energy.

16 posted on 01/10/2011 9:33:09 PM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

And remember the dire warnings that his torching the oil wells would cause irreparable damage. Another falsehood from the scientific cognoscenti.


17 posted on 01/10/2011 9:35:28 PM PST by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)
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To: brityank

Corporations and government always promote good news and will cover-up bad news, and the media is their partner.

I do not believe this until it is corroborated by multiple independent scientific institutions that are not connected either with the government or big oil. It also needs substantiated by locals and fishermen in the Gulf.

Remember how the EPA and Bush claimed the air at ground zero was good? Don’t trust them to tell us the truth unless the truth is good news.


18 posted on 01/10/2011 9:36:31 PM PST by apoliticalone
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To: brityank

When a microbes eats oil does it crap grease and pee gasoline??? Just wonder there was any byproducts.


19 posted on 01/10/2011 9:41:24 PM PST by org.whodat
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To: Mr Ramsbotham
... mitigate the release of carbon dioxide and the resulting increase in temperatures.

CO2 comes out after the temp. increase - it doesn't cause it. I have no problem with renewable energy - just not at the expense of our necessary baseload. Bring on the atomic power plants.

20 posted on 01/10/2011 9:46:38 PM PST by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)
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