>>>OT (Oil Topic) Brazil races to avoid oil spill in Amazon river

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[Fair Use: For Education and Research Purpose Only]Monday February 7,

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Brazil races to avoid oil spill in Amazon river

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian authorities have scrambled to avert an environmental disaster in the Amazon jungle after a barge holding nearly 500,000 gallons (1.8 million litres) of oil sunk to the bottom of the world's largest river network.

Diving teams plunged into the depths of the Rio Para, in the remote jungle state of Para, to remove tanks from the vessel which sank Friday while transporting the fuel for U.S. oil giant Texaco.

"Environmental advisers are working alongside the diving teams to prevent ecological damage," said Mauricio Andres Ribeiro at Brazil's environment ministry.

The accident came just two weeks after a major oil spill in Rio de Janeiro, where a pipeline at state oil giant Petrobras' flagship refinery burst spewing 345,000 gallons (1.3 million litres) of fuel into a scenic bay.

The leak destroyed local fishing industry, contaminated biological reserves and killed wildlife in the area's worst ecological disaster in 25 years.

Petrobras was fined $28 million (17.5 million pounds) for the accident, and officials said they have not ruled out similar sanctions in the case of the Amazon wreck.

"There will be a study on the accident's causes and damage, and if damages to the ecosystems in the area are determined, there will be a fine," Ribeiro said.

Texaco and state environmental officials have already laid down floating walls to prevent a potential spill from spreading upriver.

But Texaco's regional manager, Jose Ferreira Amin, told the press that there was virtually no risk of a spill, since the cooler temperatures at the bottom of the river have thickened the oil.

"Even if there were (a spill) there would not a problem since the oil thickens with the cold," Amin said.

Texaco has contracted Smith American Inc and Oil Spill Response Ltd. to coordinate the clean-up operation.

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-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 07, 2000

Answers

Question : even if the " oil thickens " , because of the coller temps below the surface , oil is still lighter than water in density , so why won't it float to the surface anyway ? Anyone ??? Eagle

-- Hal Walker (e999eagle@FREEWWWEB.COM), February 07, 2000.

I think the rationale behind the "no damage" assertion is that no leaks are admitted so far, and the cooler oil will gelatinize or coagulate and be even less prone to leakage in the relative slackwater of the Amazon. If a leak opens, presumably the oil will "tarball" if already cold, adn be comparatively easy to suck up. Trying to put myself in the shoes of a Texaco oil exec. Still sounds formidably risky to me.

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-- Squirrel Hunter (nuts@upina.cellrelaytower), February 07, 2000.


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