A 14-Year-Long Oil Spill Nobody Talks About Could Become One Of The Worst In US History

The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill has become the defining image of the environmental perils associated with offshore oil drilling. However, well away from the TV cameras and public outrage, a lesser-known oil spill is going on right now and it has the potential to become the one of the worst in US history.

The "Taylor leak" started hemorrhaging oil into the Gulf Of Mexico around 16 kilometers (10 miles) off the coast of Louisiana in 2004, after Hurricane Ivan caused a mammoth submarine landslide. Some 14 years on, with just nine of the 25 leaking wells plugged, it’s still spewing tens of thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf every single day.

The quantities of oil are still a matter of contention and secrecy, but most estimates suggest it will become one of the worst offshore disasters in US history, as The Washington Post reports.

A big investigation by the Associated Press (AP) in 2015 found that the oil leak was far worse – over 20 times worse in terms of oil quantity – than Taylor Energy had originally reported. A recent AP report has said that a court filing submitted by Federal government lawyers suggest between 37,000 to 113,000 liters (8,140 to 24,860 gallons) of oil is leaking daily from multiple wells around a drilling platform. The federal lawyers cite a report made by a scientist who studied satellite images of the area and sampled oil at the site.


Read more: https://www.iflscience.com/environment/a-14yearlong-oil-spill-nobody-talks-about-could-become-one-of-the-worst-in-us-history/



Heavy band of oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill seen during an overflight on May 12, 2010 NOAA

Ford recalls nearly 1.5M Focuses because engines can stall

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling nearly 1.5 million Focus compact cars in North America because a fuel system problem can cause the engines to stall without warning.

The recall covers cars from the 2012 through 2018 model years with 2-liter four-cylinder engines.

Ford says a valve in the fuel system can stick in the open position, causing too much vacuum, and an engine control computer may not detect the problem. Excessive vacuum can cause the gas tank to deform, as well as other problems.

The recall came after the U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration presented owner complaints to Ford. About 1.3 million of the recalled vehicles are in the U.S.

Dealers will reprogram the computer with new software that will detect a stuck valve, which the company says will take care of the problem in most cases. They’ll also inspect the valve, a carbon canister and gas tank and replace them if needed.


More: https://wtop.com/recalls/2018/10/ford-recalls-nearly-1-3m-focuses-because-engines-can-stall/

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