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Oil drips and gas leaks,more than the Exxon Valdez

jstack6
jstack6's picture

I was amazed to read recently that we drip and leak more oil than the Exxon Valdez lost when it went aground. How is your area ?
Here's one reference-
http://mass.gov/dep/images/oilspi01.pdf
One quart of motor oil can pollute 250,000 gallons of water, and one gallon of gasoline can pollute 750,000 gallons of water! Oil that leaks from our cars onto roads and driveways is washed into storm drains, and then usually flows directly into a lake or stream.
Used motor oil is the largest single source of oil pollution in lakes, streams, and rivers. Americans spill 180 million gallons of used oil each year into the nation’s waters. This is 16 times the amount spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Alaska!

In Arizona we have a pipeline company who has had it's share of leaks and explosions.
http://thetyee.ca/News/2005/08/23/KinderMorgan/
According to Terasen, many of their pipelines are approaching 50 years of age, and some, particularly under Vancouver, are as old as 70 years. Many of the lines Kinder Morgan took over in the U.S. are around 50 years old, says Weimer, which has resulted in several failures on its network.

Explosion killed five

The most dramatic and deadly incident had another cause, however. Five people were killed last November in Walnut Creek, California, after an excavator ruptured a high-pressure petroleum line. Gasoline filled the pipe trench and was ignited by a welding torch.

Kinder Morgan spokesman Rick Rainey told The Tyee that the incident had nothing to do with the company’s practices. “It was a backhoe operator that ruptured our pipeline, so that had nothing to do with integrity,” he says

It's amazing we have all survived this long.

‹ BOATS
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solar stacks


Submitted by jstack6 on Tue, 05/29/2007 - 01:50.

jstack6
jstack6's picture
Re: Oil drips and gas leaks,more than the Exxon Valdez

the drips at local staions used to be more than big oil spills. With the recent news I think the big oil spills recently have more than ruined the eco system for thousands of years.

We would be lucky to only have a few.

the solar stacks

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solar stacks


Mon, 11/19/2007 - 14:59

ctyankee
Re: Oil drips and gas leaks,more than the Exxon Valdez

In 1936 my grandfather opened a Texaco station... in his front yard!  Yup, home & gas station in one building, you don't see that too much anymore.

Back then drivers would bring their car in for an oil change, and ask that the drain oil be slopped up into the undercarriage to keep the car from squeeking & rusting.

This was before the time of pneumatic lifts, so the oil change area was a pit in the side of the lot, sure the hot oil was drained into a pan, but then the cold stuff was slopped on car with a mop head.

In the 50's dad had a lift installed in the garage and everything was paved over.  As a child I spent time there in the 60's into early 70's, but even all those years later, the sweet smell of petroleum still wafted out of the ground in that particular corner of the yard.

Today the entire property is some 40 feet under a bridge foundation where the new road goes over the railroad tracks... and the garden where my grandparents grew tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, pears, apples, fava, corn, strawberries, carrots, radishes, peas, beets, zucchini, parsley, basil, lupini, spinach, lettuce, onions, potatoes, and even a little wheat is gone.

Nothing quite like an aroma to bring back memories...


Fri, 12/07/2007 - 18:22