Florida Tar Balls Found after BP Oil Spill?

Tar balls in East Florida have been spotted after the BP oil spill. This is bad news because it's actually WEST Florida, not East Florida that has been impacted by the spill. To give you an idea of where Tar Balls have been located in Florida, it's Brevard County.

There's been no guarantee that the tar balls found are actually FROM the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. There is oil in the water at all times, and it's possible that the tar balls found are actually from something else.

People are freaking out and calling places along East Florida inquiring as to whether or not a beach is affected by the oil spill. So far, there has not been confirmation of any beaches affected outside the Gulf region.

Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that the balls - which range in size from a quarter to several inches in diameter - are from an offshore tanker instead of from the oil spill. Everyone is on alert, though.

The tar balls found have been sent off to be tested, and it's possible that results could show that the Gulf oil spill has made its way to East Florida. This would likely indicate that the spill made it somehow into the loop current. This could mean that oil could travel up the eastern seaboard to areas as far away as the Carolinas.

BP Oil Spill Gulf of Mexico Map and Oil Leak 2010 Update

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico caused by BP and the oil leak map are still things to keep an eye on. Although it's been almost three months since the oil started leaking in the Gulf, things aren't looking any better. In fact, on most days there's more and more bad news to share with the world.

Most of the time, the "good" news is actually bad news that is "justifiable." For instance, marine robots are working to remove the containment cap off the leaking well. This means that millions more gallons of crude will enter the seawater in the next days.

The trade off? There's hope that a new seal will contain 100% of the leaking oil.

While I'd like to believe the claims, this is the type of "news" we have been hearing all along. The spill has worsened with every step taken - even with the best of intentions at hand.

Click here to view an interactive oil spill map.

And even if the newest measure DOES completely shut off the flow of oil into the Gulf - we are still a LONG way from the tragedy being over. There's millions of gallons and barrels of oil in the waters right now, and it needs to be cleaned up. The quicker that the oil is cleaned up, the less that the spill will impact our nation's most beautiful beaches.

Cleanup will involve likely everything from burning oil off the surface of the water to using mats made out of hair and nylons to using state of the art oil separation technology from Kevin Costner's company.

BP Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico Could be Stopped by Month's End

The BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico devastation could be done by month's end, if new reports that are surfacing are true.  The BP spill has been raging on since shortly after the April 20th Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion.  Millions of barrels of crude have been released into the pristine waters of the Gulf, leaving miles of beaches tainted by tar balls and oil mousse.

BP has been working, some say tirelessly others say not so tirelessly, to stop the oil spill.  So far, even though they are containing at least a portion of the spill there's been no successful attemt

Alex Oil Spill and Gulf Cleanup Efforts Update

Alex affected the oil spill and Gulf of Mexico cleanup efforts, as boats that skimmed oil from the top of the water had to stay at port.  In addition, the rough waters pushed oil back on beaches that had previously been cleaned.

This is only the start of the hurricane season. Many are hoping that BP will be able to stop the oil before another storm system heads through the Gulf, but that could be highly unlikely.

It will be Saturday before cleanup efforts resume. Alex also delayed the installation of a third containment cap over the busted wellhead.  The containment caps aren't catching 100% of the oil

Former President Bill Clinton suggested blowing up the broken well and covering it with lots of debris. This would end the spill once and for all - at least according to him.

Right now the only hope to end the spill is the drilling of two relief wells.  Once the wells are drilled, the broken well is expected to be sealed.

At least hurricane Alex didn't go right through the oil spill region.  Everyone is holding their breath, hoping that no other hurricanes go through the affected area.

The oil spill has created health advisories in beaches all over the Florida panhandle.  In addition, beaches in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana have been affected by the slick.

It could be years before the oil spill is completely cleaned up.  The environment has been impacted, as has the seafood and tourist industries.

Many people are involved in the cleanup efforts.  While they claim that everything was ahead of schedule, bad weather is sure to cause delays.

VIDEO: BP Oil Spill Live Feed 2010 Gulf Oil Leak Update

The BP oil spill live feed remains a popular way to keep track of the Gulf of Mexico oil leak.  The devastation has continued for over 70 days, and now we are getting closer and closer to having the relief wells drilled and ready to kill the spill.

Former President Clinton had a rather shocking suggestion about how to end the spill today.  He suggests using a explosive weapons and physically blowing up the well and covering the spill with "piles and piles" of debris.

He said Unless we send the Navy down deep to blow up the well and cover the leak with piles and piles and piles of debris, which may become necessary- and you don't have a nuclear weapon, by the way, I've seen all that stuff. Just blow it up. Unless we're going to do that, we are dependent on the technical expertise of these people at BP.

This would ensure that the United States wouldn't have to rely on BP's technology and plans for stopping the spill.

Sounds kind of over-the-top, doesn't it? When you think about it, though it may be one of the more common sense approaches that we have heard about. We've tried to shove mud in the lines, we've shot garbage in the lines, we have turned to Kevin Costner to help fix the spill, and we are using mats of hair to soak up some of the oil.  Surely a deep sea explosion isn't all that crazy.

Something needs to be done - and fast.  We need to make sure that the well is sealed off and the oil cleaned up as soon as possible so that everyone in the Gulf region can get back to their way of life.

Hurricane Alex 2010 and Tropical Storm Alex Make Headlines

Hurricane Alex 2010 could be the first hurricane of the season, although it is really Tropical Storm Alex.    The storm system is expected to strengthen as it goes over the warm waters of the Gulf, although it is not expected to make landfall anywhere around the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

This means that BP has dodged a bullet this time. However, many will keep their eye on Hurricane Alex and make sure that it doesn't change course and then threaten cleanup and containment efforts of the spill.

The Tropical Storm could hit the southeast of Texas then head over the northeast of Mexico. It's forecasted as a category 3 hurricane, which is strong but not as devastating as hurricanes such as Katrina.

The storm system will put BP one week behind in doubling their oil spill containment capacity. There are warnings that the wind patterns from the storm could push the oil slick more inland.

Portions of the efforts have been evacuated just in case.

Hurricane watches are in effect, and typically go into effect 48 hours before the first winds are expected to surface.

Hurricane season is just another facet in this year, which has been plagued with several natural disasters. From earthquakes to floods and now hurricane, it seems as if there is no end to mother nature's fury this year.

Of course, Hurricane Alex is only the beginning. The Atlantic hurricane season goes from now until later in the year. The warm waters of the Gulf make for a dangerous mix with hurricanes, as it helps them to gain strength as it moves across the waters.

Note - The photograph on this post is not of Tropical Storm Alex.

BP Oil Spill Map Gulf of Mexico 2010 Oil Leak Continues

As time continues, the BP oil spill map is growing as the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico continues on.  The devastation in the region could soon be far greater, as the first tropical storm appears to have the potential to hit the area.  Oil leak crews need 120 hours to respond to any hurricanes meaning that computer modeling of a storm is necessary.

What happens if predictions of where a storm will go are wrong? Then the BP oil spill will experience one of two types of setbacks.

Click for the oil spill map: BP oil spill map

First, the oil areas could be evacuated without reason, meaning that valuable time containing and cleaning up will be wasted.  Second, the crews could find out about the hurricane too late and then have to face the storm.  This could cause unnecessary casualties and damage.

Such is the reason that the oil spill officials will likely take a "better safe than sorry" approach to cleaning up the spill.

The map of the oil spill showing where oil has been found is growing.  The oil can be found on a map from Louisiana all the way to the Florida panhandle.  From marshes and wetlands in Louisiana to once pristine beaches on the panhandle the oil is washing up on land.

The oil leak is being monitored by pretty much everyone in the world.  Americans across the nation are concerned about what the oil spill means to their way of life.  Still yet, the leak continues and there is little that the average person can do to make their mark on the devastation.

BP Oil Spill Live Feed 2010 Amid Hurricane Fears

The BP oil spill live feed is something that many are following in the wake of the BP oil spill.  Now, with  a broken LMRP package, there is now a storm activity brewing in the area, and many fear how it could affect the spill.

The live feed showcases the ocean floor where the spill is taking place.  For the past 67 days or so, black crude oil is just pouring in to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This is why the market value of the company has fallen some $100 billion in a little over two months.

So far, BP has paid over $2 billion in claims, not including the $20 billion escrow fund required by the US Government. The oil spill continues to be a major issue for the company as they try to figure out how to stop the spill and clean it up, amid hurricane season.

The weather poses a unique threat to the BP containment operations.  The ships collecting the oil on the surface of the ocean have to be given a five day warning in order to safely evacuate the area before a storm rolls in.  This will involve the use of computer modeling and making judgement calls.  One wrong call could either end in tragedy or waste precious time collecting oil.

To view the oil spill live feed, click here.