Day 63: Deepwater Horizon by the Numbers

On June 22, 2010, by Cutler Cleveland

Gross amount of oil released to date (barrels):    1,470,000    to    2,760,000
Amount of oil recovered by BP to date (barrels):    294,970
Net amount of oil released to date (barrels):    1,175,030    to    2,465,030
Oil recovered as % of oil gross release (current day):    39%    to    67%
Oil recovered as % of oil gross release (to date):    11%    to    20%
Federal waters (…)

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Why We Should Care about Louisiana Wetlands

On June 12, 2010, by Cutler Cleveland

A reporter covering the Deepwater Horizon disaster asked me “why should city folk care about Louisiana wetlands?”  A reasonable question.  Lets look at the reasons.
Like everywhere on the planet, Louisiana’s wetlands have been under human assault for more than century.  Louisiana has 25% of the United States’ coastal wetlands and 40% of its salt marshes, (…)

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Natural Oil Seeps and the Deepwater Horizon Disaster

On June 9, 2010, by Cutler Cleveland

Some reports in the media attempt to downplay the significance of the release of oil from the Deepwater Horizon accident by arguing that natural oil seeps release large volumes of oil to the ocean, so why worry?  Lets look at the numbers.
Natural seeps can be thought of as natural springs from which liquid and gaseous (…)

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