[ATTACH]1119[/ATTACH]
[B]PLUME TEST CHALLENGE[/B]: Two other ERS team members and I designed and tested (despite great interference from a certain company’s “gentleman” blockers) the ERS Deep Water Sampler June 14-19, 2010 in the area of the Macondo well. Our Sampler, unlike Niskin and GO-FLO samplers, used by BP’s contractors and NOAA, maintains sample composition and does not lose oil or dissolved gases from either the process of gas stripping as a deep water sample is retrieved to the lower pressure and higher temperatures in surfacing or from adhesion of oil to the PVC or Teflon interior of the mentioned sample bottles.
NOAA and BP are well aware of those problems in the Niskins and GO-FLOs they use. I can only surmise they want low results. Our Sampler, which NOAA supported and was quite thrilled with till PLUME became a four letter word, provides valid sampling for subsurface plume sampling and testing. The plumes exist, I personally pulled up samples clearly showing high concentrations of tiny oil droplets dispersed in the seawater from a 1,000 feet depth southwest of the Macondo well on June 15, 2010. Our original float plan allowed us to test and sample where we needed, but hours before boarding, we were told we would not be allowed to sample anything but coordinates that we knew corresponded to clean water, we were also told to watch our backs (major understatement- we had to hand haul up 41 lbs of gear from 5,200 ft due to the games being played- but being determined to do our job- we didn’t give up- we overcame every obstacle thrown at us). We didn’t go all that way to sample and test our device in clean water, I’ll leave it at that.
I[B] challenge Alcor or invite anyone who wants to see for themselves if oil is still coming up or is dispersed, to provide a vessel with a suitable winch AND WE WILL GO OUT- FOR FREE- AND SAMPLE THE AREA IN QUESTION AND DO THE ANALYSIS NEEDED. No reason to guess or wonder, when you can know for sure.[/B]
My hat is off to FSU on their recent cruise, they had been told to “redirect” their work after they got a sizable grant from BP- but their researchers did what was right- and I’m sure they will catch hell for it- but I am really proud of them for not caving in.
A good hearing to watch tomorrow is below, someone else may have already posted this, but just in case not:
[B]Hearing on “The BP Oil Spill: Accounting for the Spilled Oil and Ensuring the Safety of Seafood from the Gulf"
Hearings - Subcommittee on Energy and Environment[/B]
[B]The Subcommittee on Energy and Environment will hold a hearing entitled “The BP Oil Spill: Accounting for the Spilled Oil and Ensuring the Safety of Seafood from the Gulf” at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 19, 2010, in 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.
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[U]Invited Witnesses:[/U]
Bill Lehr, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Office of Response and Restoration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Paul Anastas, Ph.D., Assistant Administrator, Office of Research and Development, Environmental Protection Agency
Donald Kraemer, Acting Deputy Director, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration
Ian MacDonald, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Oceanography, Florida State University
Mike Voisin, Chief Executive Officer, Motivatit Seafoods, LLC
Acy Cooper, Jr., Vice President, Louisiana Shrimp Association
Dean Blanchard, President, Dean Blanchard Seafoods, Inc.
Lisa Suatoni, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Oceans Program, Natural Resources Defense Council
[B]FOR Documents and Briefing Memo[/B] go to: http://http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2106:heairng-on-the-bp-oil-spill-accounting-for-the-spilled-oil-and-ensuring-the-safety-of-seafood-from-the-gulfq&catid=130:subcommittee-on-energy-and-the-environment&Itemid=71
TO WATCH LIVE GO TO C-SPAN TV OR WEB COVERAGE 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The past hearings from this Committee are available on Energy Committee website. The past Joint Investigation Hearing videos are on both C Span’s archive page of their website and on the Joint Investigation Hearings website. Next weeks Joint Hearings in Houston should be live on one of the C Span channels or websites.