BP: Who you gonna believe, us or the scientists' lying eyes?

[marmar]

from the Guardian UK:





BP has challenged widespread scientific claims that vast plumes of oil are spreading underwater from its blown-out rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The denial comes as the oil giant prepares for a new operation to put an end to the worst oil spill in US history – which could see the leak get worse before it gets better.

The company's challenge to several scientific studies is likely to put it further at odds with an increasingly angry Obama administration, which has accused it of playing down the size of the leak in an effort to limit possible fines.

BP's chief executive, Tony Hayward, said it had no evidence of underwater oil clouds. "The oil is on the surface," he said. "Oil has a specific gravity that's about half that of water. It wants to get to the surface because of the difference in specific gravity."

Hayward's assertion flies in the face of studies by scientists at universities in Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, among other institutions, who say they have detected huge underwater plumes of oil, including one 120 metres (400ft) deep about 50 miles from the destroyed rig.

BP's claim is likely only to further anger environmentalists and the White House, which has grown increasingly suspicious of the company's claims to be frank and transparent on developments. The president's environmental adviser and director of the Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, Carol Browner, has accused BP of misstating the scale of the leak. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/31/bp-clashes-scientists-sea-oil-pollution

[tiptoe]

1. Obama will pardon his corporatist buddies. nt

[flyarm]

2. the government is only NOW figuring out they are lying?

hell we in Fla knew this would not be stopped at least until Aug ..1 month ao it was reported in Fla...and the government only Now knows BP is lying?? When scientists have been screaming since the get go that BP was lying and keeping them away!!!!!!!!!!! And environmental experts were screaming on Fla news anyway that they have been lept away and been totally lied to 1 month ago!

And people from all the Gulf states were screaming about the horrible air we have had to breathe..and the government is only finding that out now?????????

WTF???????????