OpEdNews - Article: BP NUCLEAR OPTION Spells Mega-Disaster For Gulf Of Mexico

There has been much speculation lately about a nuclear device being planned for closing in the BP Macondo Well in the Gulf of Mexico. The consequences of exercising this option go well beyond killing the Gulf of Mexico; there would be far-reaching and profound ramifications for the oceans of the world. There are many risks associated with this option that must be considered. Let's review some of these before BP finishes the relief wells, which are allegedly being utilized for the strategic placement and detonation of a nuclear device.

DEEP OIL WELL DRILLING ALWAYS BRINGS INCREASED LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVITY

The radioactive levels of the hydrocarbon brew that has been flowing for over 90 days into the Gulf is already cause for alarm. The deeper the well, the greater the likelihood that the oil and gas effluent will have greater concentrations of radioactive components, particularly radium, thorium and uranium.

"Helium is a naturally occurring gas formed in oil reserves. So common in fact, that helium detectors have been used to discover oil reserves. Helium is an inert gas known to be a by-product from the radiological decay of uranium and thorium. Uranium and thorium are known to be in great quantities at greater depths within the mantle of the earth. Radioactive elements occur naturally and can be found and detected in trace amounts in shallow oil reserves. Oil reserves that do not produce large amounts of methane also lack uranium and thorium. The presence of methane is proportional to the presence of uranium and thorium, both radioactive elements.

The more methane that is present reflects the amount of uranium and thorium in the oil reserve. The deeper the oil well, the younger the radiological decay which will therefore produce more helium. The Eugene Island 330 rig was quickly replenished as a result of massive quantities of deep oil sources re-supplying the more shallow oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico just off the coast of Louisiana." (Per "Urgent Radioactive Oil From BP Blowout!"at link below)

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It is quite significant to point out that even the American Petroleum Institute (API) has designed elaborate protocols for workers in the Oil & Gas Industry who are exposed to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). The API readily acknowledges the existence of elevated levels of radium in virtually any geological formation that contains oil and gas, and yet their website fails to mention uranium and thorium concentrations. This omission is quite curious and begs for a more thorough explanation of the radioactive dimensions associated with the entire industry. Click on the API link below for more info:

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For anyone who doubts that the development of oil and gas reserves will always have radioactive hazards, please read the following authoritative papers starting with the Scientific American article below:

Scientific American: Natural Gas Drilling Produces Radioactive Waste

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Radioactive Pollution at the Oil Fields of the Apsheron Peninsula, Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan

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Radium-226 and Radium-228 in Scale and Sludge Generated in the Petroleum Industry

http://irpa11.irpa.net/pdfs/5k5.pdf

Investigation of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) in Oil Fields and Oil Lakes in Kuwait