Texas A&M: Methane Levels in Gulf of Mexico Up to 100,000 X Normal

[ScienceRocks]

Texas A&M: Methane Levels in Gulf of Mexico Up to 100,000 X Normal
Uncoverage.net ^ | June 24, 2010 | by Jane Jamison

Last week, scientists from a University of Georgia weighed in with their findings on methane gas in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Yesterday, more opinions from other experts were published. Texas A&M University has also had a team on the Gulf and also finds exceptionally high methane levels in the water. Reuters: Texas A&M University oceanography professor John Kessler, just back from a 10-day research expedition near the BP Plc oil spill in the gulf, says methane gas levels in some areas are “astonishingly high.”

Kessler’s crew took measurements of both surface and deep water within a 5-mile (8 kilometer) radius of BP’s broken wellhead.

“There is an incredible amount of methane in there,” Kessler told reporters in a telephone briefing.

In some areas, the crew of 12 scientists found concentrations that were 100,000 times higher than normal.

(Excerpt) Read more at uncoverage.net ...

Yay!!! This is very cool.

 

[editec]

Methane gas is soluble in water?

I didn't know that.

How long does it stay in solution in the water?

Can it be recovered?

 

[KissMy]

Will that water burn?

Can I put that water in my gas tank & drive till the wheels come off?

 

[fyrenza]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/gases-solubility-water-d_1148.html



It would appear that the colder the water, the higher the solubility of methane,

but as the water temps rise, the methane will "break free,"

and being even lighter than air, will rise in bubbles.

 

[strollingbones]

like it did in india?

BBC News - Bhopal gas leak convictions not enough, say campaigners

 

[konradv]

Doesn't seem to be very soluble. 40 mg/kg water at the lowest temp isn't much, one part in ~25,000.

 

[Old Rocks]

There are two dangers here. One, that this will create a huge area of anoxic water, and kill most of the sea life in that area. Number two, CH4 is over twenty times as effective of a GHG, molecule for molecule, as CO2. Much of this CH4 will make it to surface and enter the atmosphere.

Green Life On Earth - What are Anoxic waters? Can it hurt you?

Anoxic waters are areas of sea water or fresh water that does not contain the sufficient amount of oxygen, dissolved in it to sustain aquatic life. In most of the cases, oxygen is prevented from reaching the deeper levels by a physical barrier and also by a pronounced density stratification. Anoxic conditions will occur if the rate of oxidation of organic matter by bacteria is greater than the supply of dissolved oxygen.

Anoxic waters are a natural phenomenon and have occurred during the geological history of the Baltic Sea. Recently, there have been some indications that eutrophication has raised the extent of the anoxic areas in areas including the Gulf of Mexico and the Baltic Sea.

Anoxic conditions result from various factors; for example, density stratification, stagnation conditions, inputs of organic material and strong thermoclines. The bacterial production of sulfide starts in the sediments, where the bacteria find suitable substrates and then expands into the water column.

 

[JenyEliza]

Cows fart underwater? Who knew?

 

[editec]

There are two dangers here. One, that this will create a huge area of anoxic water, and kill most of the sea life in that area. Number two, CH4 is over twenty times as effective of a GHG, molecule for molecule, as CO2. Much of this CH4 will make it to surface and enter the atmosphere.

Green Life On Earth - What are Anoxic waters? Can it hurt you?

Anoxic waters are areas of sea water or fresh water that does not contain the sufficient amount of oxygen, dissolved in it to sustain aquatic life. In most of the cases, oxygen is prevented from reaching the deeper levels by a physical barrier and also by a pronounced density stratification. Anoxic conditions will occur if the rate of oxidation of organic matter by bacteria is greater than the supply of dissolved oxygen.

Anoxic waters are a natural phenomenon and have occurred during the geological history of the Baltic Sea. Recently, there have been some indications that eutrophication has raised the extent of the anoxic areas in areas including the Gulf of Mexico and the Baltic Sea.

Anoxic conditions result from various factors; for example, density stratification, stagnation conditions, inputs of organic material and strong thermoclines. The bacterial production of sulfide starts in the sediments, where the bacteria find suitable substrates and then expands into the water column.

Doesn't the Gulf ALREADY have one of these anoxic areas?

Man !~ this is NOT good news.

 

[Old Rocks]

Yes, one created by the fertalizer runoff coming down the Mississippi.