Petrol In Mexico Bay

However, irretrievably damaged ecologocal systems remain tired and destroyed. Would that the nature permit a rest for a while!

Tony Hayward, BP chief manager, left for his holidays shortly before, when the journalists started to speculate about his resignation. Nevertheless, he would deserved well of his relax. It is said that his free day missed for two months at least, precisely since the time, when after crash of petrol boring, millions of litres of petrol daily started to flow into Mexico Bay. It is exactly just since the time when America started to survive a hell. Barack Obama, American President, marked this situation as the second most serious event of 11th September.

British Petrol company hired thousands of persons, in order to liquidate all visible damages on beaches, surrounding the bay. However, the pictures, showing the situation on sea bottom, were published by petrol company several weeks after this disaster. The inhabitants of Lousiana are afraid of their earnings. The people, living along Mississippi-river, Alabama or in Florida, are afraid of tourists´ decline. All areas, caught with this petrol crash, would be rewarded in financial way by this British company. Thousands of billions of dollars would cover these expenses, and this loss would be covered within couple of years, of course. One question remains: who would indemnify such irretrievably damaged water and coast ecological systems? This is a problem, which still remains without reply. Despite this fact, we would try to estimate what about is hidden under the expression of „petrol crash“, together with Irina Kalinina, expert for nature sciences. This lady was in charge to solve the problems, regarding similar event, happened in Ucraine.

„The petrol is changing into various migration forms: it is visible in a form of so called petrol spots, appearing in emulsions (solutions) as a petrol in water or water in petrol. The stuff could be dissolved and absorbed in water suspensions and bottom sediments, accummulated afterthat with living bodies“, Mrs. Kalinina explains. Nevertheless, according to experts´ explanations, all above described forms could be very dangerous.

„The scientists, by means of batyscaph help, observed powerful spot, 16 kilometres long and 90 metres strong, swimming under water level. The spot was placed in depth of 1300 metres. However, nobody knows, that this spot would be the only one, or if the other spots appeared in the bay!“ Mrs. Kalinina says. According to worked out models, this petrol accident in Mexico Bay could threaten, except American coast, also European Continent.

„Six models are available altogether, and the calculations of each of them are referring to the fact that petrol would move outside borders of Mexico Bay. From theoretical point of view, petrol spots would be caught by Gulf Stream and travel up to Europe!“, Mrs.Kalinina explains these scientific researches.

Nevertheless, such scenario would be probably, according to the scientists. But, on the other hand, no one from calculated models is informing us, when such event could happen. „All depends on concrete hydrological and meteorological conditions of aquatoria (water surface) and on situation in the region. Anyway, when we compare the situation with weather forecast, we could be of the opinion that the prognosis, in such case, would be in operation as post factum!“ says Irina Kalinina, expert for nature sciences.

A group of persons hired by BP company, carefully covered into impermeable suits, do their best, in order to free the coasts from petrol, which was stranded there. The main, most important task would be to clean up swampy and overgrown vegetace, and this is, according to Mrs. Kalinina opinion, practically impossible. „Compensated nature mechanismus (bodies) are unable to clean (scrub) independently such intensity of antropogenne pollution. Less resistent and small communities of animal and plant sorts are, however, condemned to become extinct!“

So, sea birds are directly threatened. They have in marshes - full of petrol at present - their breeding places. „The consequences of catastrophe of such big measure would be manifested for future coming tens of years, I am sure!“ Mrs. Kalinina, expert for nature sciences, closes this theme.

Text: Klára Svobodová

Translation: ing. Jan Jonáš