Spill Fighters

Thanks to all of you that have helped make the video so viral, there are more and more articles and television news shows asking the question “Why isn’t BP using microbes to clean up the Gulf”.

First, I surmise that BP is the only one that knows that answer.

I’ve heard others (and even some experts) provide wild speculation and answers that are not based in fact.

First, you’ might hear that the EPA banned bioremediation for being harmful to fish. This is misinformation that is just not true.  In fact, many of the bioremediation ‘solutions’  are made with GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) microbes that don’t require EPA regulation—so, we could mix up them up in our garage if we knew how.  So, it ain’t the EPA.

Second, some say BP would not use microbes because they would eat up the oil they are trying to reclaim. Yep, they would indeed loose the oil they are trying to skim and reclaim, but they can do the math.  There are hundreds joining the Class Action Lawsuits every day that have been  filed against BP—so delay of the cleanup costs much more than they will ever recover from skimming.   But, I’m sure the contractors that have the contracts to reclaim the oil don’t want to see the microbes eat up their jobs .

The REAL reason that BP did not use microbes to clean up the spill:  Because of ready availability of Disperants and BP’s “previously approved” contingency plan (and contracts and resourses in place to buy and apply dispersants ).  Applying dispersants is a ‘traditional method’ of oil spill cleanup that the oil industry has used for years. Even though the oil industry is increasingly using microbes for spill cleanup, BP would likely not even know where to go to get the quantities of microbes that it will take to  ‘fix’ the Gulf.

Luckily, they do now!

The Gulf Oil Spill Bioremediation Industry Alliance has just been formed.

In summary, this alliance brings the top bioremediation companies and their scientists together for the purpose of using microbes on the entire Spill.  They are in the process of creating an implementation plan (for release this week) that focuses the expertise of each company on either the beach, water (shallow and deep) or wetlands depending on their historical success with a particular topography.  If adopted, they will focus first on the areas where there is oil present on the beach or marshlands, then apply to the water near land, then work on the oil in the middle of the Gulf both on the surface and at various depths below.  They have the production capacity to quickly ramp up to provide the “googol’s” worth of microbes to do the entire Gulf of Mexico.

From a draft version of the Alliance agreement, it is clear that all members have agreed to work with each other in harmony and put their competitive differences aside to get the entire Spill remediated.

I will post a copy of the plan on SpillFighters.com and provide more information about the Alliance later this week.