Why use dispersants in Gulf oil spill?

**jamc204** · 05-15-2010, 06:05 PM

Why is BP using dispersants in the gulf oil spill?

Wouldn't you want the oil to be contained to a smaller area so that you could keep if from spreading and collect it?

Thanks

**nrdthxpr** · 05-17-2010, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by jamc204

Why is BP using dispersants in the gulf oil spill?

Wouldn't you want the oil to be contained to a smaller area so that you could keep if from spreading and collect it?

Thanks

BP is following its own corporate agenda. No doubt it has a business relationship with the producer of chemical dispersants.

**maurajbo** · 06-20-2010, 06:27 PM

I think the idea is that if you disperse the oil and break it up into lots of small droplets, that will be easier for microbial lifeforms to break down than one giant spill. And I guess many little droplets is supposed to be less toxic to marine life than one giant unbroken pool of oil.

But since the dispersants are toxic as well, it does seem a little pointless. There is an interesting web site that explains it, but I'm not allowed to post links yet. However, if you google "why use dispersants" it has some information.

**nrdthxpr** · 06-21-2010, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by maurajbo

I think the idea is that if you disperse the oil and break it up into lots of small droplets, that will be easier for microbial lifeforms to break down than one giant spill. And I guess many little droplets is supposed to be less toxic to marine life than one giant unbroken pool of oil.

But since the dispersants are toxic as well, it does seem a little pointless. There is an interesting web site that explains it, but I'm not allowed to post links yet. However, if you google "why use dispersants" it has some information.

I think there is method in BP's madness, and the end result will probably be a totally polluted Gulf of Mexico minus any fishing, crabbing or tourist industries, but peppered with several thousand BP oil rigs. Like strip-mined Appalachia, the Gulf has been designated another "national secrifice area" to produce more energy. But now it's a global sacrifice, so we'll see what the nations of the Caribbean Sea and Central America have to say about it.

Why use dispersants in Gulf oil spill?

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Because small droplets are easier to break down

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