The Final End of the Hydrocarbon Fuel Paradigm

These are the realities on the ground (undersea floor), in the water (Gulf of Mexico & Seven Seas), and in the air (atmosphere) in the wake of the Oil & Gas Industry operations around the globe, as it has operated for well over 100 years. For illustration purposes let’s just focus on the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico, since that is where Mother Earth has directed our collective attention. We can do this quickly by consulting the following map of the oil and gas platforms that were in operation throughout the Gulf of Mexico in 2006 (per Wikipedia).

Please be aware that oil and gas exploration, drilling and extraction have been conducted for many decades in the Gulf. Therefore we know that there are an untold number of vast empty caverns which have been emptied of their oil and gas. We also know that, when a repository has been emptied very quickly, there is a shock of sorts to the system, or geological formations that exist around and contiguous to these prospects. One can easily imagine how the entire balance of the undersea ecosystem and sub-seafloor geology can be irrevocably affected by the relentless intrusions and profoundly invasive techniques conducted by this industry.

Let’s now contextualize this state of affairs by fast-forwarding to 2012. As Mother Earth rocks and rolls in preparation for her rejuvenation, we are all witnessing huge and unprecedented changes to her beautiful form. For instance we know there has been a dramatic uptick in the number of earthquakes and volcanoes, both on land and undersea around the world. We know that global climate change has been occurring for decades and has manifested in some places as global warming, others as global cooling, and still others as global deluges and global droughts, etc. Regardless of where you domicile, we can all agree that things are really changing. And very fast, due to the various accelerations and compression of time which occur during the final phase of the galactic creation cycle per Mayan calendrics and cosmogony.

What else is happening on and in Earth? The Schumann resonance is on the way from 7.8 to 14.3 according to the experts. The magnetics of the Earth, Herself, are decreasing rapidly and perhaps on the way to zero as a prelude to a magnetic pole shift, or even to a mono-polar planet. Whole species are vacating the planet as we write. But most important is what is about to happen within and around the center of our solar system – our glorious sun some know as SOL or Lord Surya. We will also discuss His current alignment with the equatorial plane of the Great Central Sun, or Galactic Center, of the Milky Way in a future essay, because of its epochal consequences to all things on planet Earth.

We are coming out of a solar phase known as the solar minimum, and shortly on the way to a solar maximum phase. Many have predicted that the most active and dramatic solar maximum phase of the era will occur during the years around 2012. This will manifest as a significant increase in the number of solar flares, coronal mass ejections, sunspots, as well as considerable intensification of solar wind activity. The magnetics of the sun will also be profoundly affected. All of this colossal solar activity, will have HUGE impacts on planet Earth, and especially the space bound technologies that exist in substantial numbers of satellites.

What’s all this got to do with the state of the oil and gas industry? Much of what we just described will have a large effect on the greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration and interactions within the earth’s atmosphere, as does all human, animal, plant, mineral and weather activity. All of the preordained and aforementioned changes will especially determine how the “mix” of GHG’s is processed by Gaia. She’s already shakin’ and bakin’ majorly, and therefore Her skin (crust) will experience an ongoing transformation of truly epic proportions.

To the point, when you mix humongous empty caverns under the seafloor, which have had their fluids and dynamics radically altered with no compensatory follow-up measures (What could really be done anyway – a blood transfusion?), with undersea earthquakes and volcanoes, which all the scientific data say is ramping up, what do you come up with?! Massive displacement of water, which can translate to tsunamis or tidal waves, whichever you prefer.

And we haven’t even gotten to the methane gas ignition potentialities or methane hydrate issues (see “Pulling the Methane Clathrate Trigger” illustration below). You see, there are enormous and innumerable pockets of methane trapped within the earth’s crust, and especially on and below the seafloor of the oceans of the world. These methane repositories and reservoirs can be ignited in various and sundry ways. Sometimes it is an earthquake; sometimes the trigger is a volcano or a meteor or an oil drilling operation gone awry. Going back eons, some have postulated that it may very well have been an asteroid that triggered a chain reaction of methane ignitions, which so transformed the surface of the earth that the dinosaurs became extinct virtually overnight.

The real crux of our current scenario is that greenhouse gas emissions have seen a dramatic rise with human activity (What else could be expected with almost 7 billion people driving and flying and rocketing everywhere?). Historical data, and we mean deep archaeological records, indicate that when a certain critical mass of GHG emissions are reached in their many multifarious manifestations, things start to pop. Even the mainstream media has advanced that an ignited methane burp gave rise to the explosion, and subsequent fire, that sunk the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf.

Now lets add to this mix the current BP practice of burning massive amounts of oil brought up to the surface of the Gulf by their oil plume (these are the same oil plumes, the existence of which BP denies) aggregators. Do we know yet how to spell greenhouse gas emissions?! Yes, we have a very serious problem with the current oil volcano, but it has multiplied its adverse effects on the entire environment many times with the wanton and cavalier burning of this spilled oil. Let’s also mention here the toxic side effects of volumes of dispersants (both in use were outlawed in the UK due to extreme harm to life and the environment), as well as the resulting synergies when they interact with powerful VOC’s (volatile organic chemicals) like benzene, toluene and naphthalene. BP has made quite a toxic stew out of the entire Gulf of Mexico, while the US Federal Government assumes the position of enabler, co-dependent or accomplice depending on which agency, department or service is involved. Someone, please be so kind to all of US and forward this essay to both parties.

Let’s get back to the seafloor. Because the integrity of the seafloor has been, and is now being, profoundly undermined by the leaks and seeps, fissures and cracks which are currently appearing in the wake of a multi-week out-of-control oil gusher, we have an additional concern. With a piercing of the well casing, extremely hot oil interacts with the seafloor in many unknown ways, which then contributes to upsetting the foundation into which this well was drilled. As this process advances, there does exist the potential for a seafloor collapse, which will immediately cause one of three outcomes. (i) The existing volcano will become a super-volcano. (ii) The resulting debris field could be Mother Earth’s way of sealing off the well permanently. (iii) The last possibility is an infinite number permutations which presents us with a still spilling oil well – big or large depends on many factors known and unknown.

If there is a quite unfortunate confluence of circumstances, we could see a much larger domino effect of other empty caverns (see map above) collapsing and giving rising to a much larger displacement of water, as well as methane ignitions which would perpetuate this domino effect until it naturally expended itself. Along with this “worst case scenario”, go all the other potential consequences, which have been existent throughout the entire history of corporate oil and gas activities, except that the Oil & Gas Industry has been very, very lucky. We think the good luck has now run out.

In the final analysis, reasonable and enlightened people will simply come to the understanding that this whole practice of sucking Mother Earth’s lifeblood is not only unsustainable and destructive to the planet, but also insane, as in crazy. HELLO! WE OUGHT NOT TO BE DOING THIS ANYMORE. Not in our beloved Gulf. Not in pristine Alaska. Not anywhere on this beautiful orb known as Gaia – our Dear Mother Earth.

And we haven’t even mentioned the practice of hydrofracking!

Dr. Tom Termotto is the National Coordinator of the Gulf Oil Spill Remediation Conference (International Citizen’s Initiative). Read other articles by Tom.

4 comments on this article so far ...

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  1. Don Hawkins said on June 19th, 2010 at 11:26am #

    Updated

    http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/lanina/images3/glbSSTSeaNorm.gif

    two words oh crap

  2. Don Hawkins said on June 19th, 2010 at 11:38am #

    Dr. Tom it’s been forwarded and looking forward to more of your thought’s.

  3. Don Hawkins said on June 19th, 2010 at 3:23pm #

    A miracle of the Universe called Earth and just how long have we know this? Let’s see Rome did they know as they fead the Christens to the Lyons no. When we look back all civilizations seemed to get ahead of themselves that darn ego part I guess. How about today do we know we live on a miracle of the Universe called Earth no as a matter of fact we seem to have taken that ego part to new highs. The gulf of Mexico is already been turned into a dead zone and yet we hear should we keep drilling? Not just oil but coal the big one we now know what it is doing to the Earth and do we stop no. A few people who do know we live on a miracle of the Universe about ten years ago thought heck we just tell people what we are doing and we will stop wrong so far we will not stop. Of course the people who get to be little god’s from the money made first tell us what we need to be a real human and so far we believe them. Do they tell us we live on a miracle of the Universe well no they tell us to go shopping buy gold coal that’s where we get 50% of our energy keeps America strong buy just one share of stock and have fun doing it call call now. Seems a little nut’s to me but maybe there correct as they seem like such nice people on the surface and dress well use big words and talk of things that only a Harvard person would know. The skull and crossbones is that a Harvard gang I mean club. I wonder did they learn that Earth is a miracle of the Universe or how to improve on there golf game? All these questions so little time. Wait I’ll watch Fox New’s maybe they know if we live on a miracle of the Universe but I have to admit so far when I watch these people they seem to be the miracle of the Universe, ego there it is again but heck anything can be cared to far.

  4. Don Hawkins said on June 20th, 2010 at 3:56am #

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10359596.stm

    China’s rainy season, which began in May, follows the worst drought in a century in the south-west.

    Take a look at the picture and drought will it come back oh yes it sure will. Happy fathers day dads I don’t get a present and why because I told my kid’s I don’t need any stuff it’s what is in your heart and mind that counts. My son just got back from the city he grows the food and then takes it to the people. I think I told him once wall street kiss my ass. Growing crops in say China or those fish farms then shipping it to the States is not going to work well or soy beans in South America for meat a nobrainer it will not work for much longer.