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Hurricane Season To Impact Oil Cleanup

At the beginning of May, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog began discussing a topic that continued to make mainstream headlines all throughout the month. Now, as we begin the month of June, that massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to wreak irreparable damage to that body of water and all life that exists within in it.

Sadly, the news surrounding the cleanup efforts today is not so bright. Today, CBC News reports that the hurricane season in the southeast United States is causing great concern to those helping with the cleanup efforts. Officially beginning tomorrow, the hurricane season is expected to bring about storms with winds of at least 178 km/h.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the upcoming season is anticipated to be “extremely active”. CBC News also reports that, at present, underwater robots are being used to saw through the pipe that is leaking the oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The heavy winds expected to be brought on by the hurricane season threaten the attempt of BP – the company responsible for the spill – to contain the flow of oil that is gushing out of the pipe.

Carol Browner, the White House adviser on energy and climate change explains the possibilities: “If (the new containment dome) is not able to contain the oil, we would be in a situation where it is conceivable that there would be oil leaking at a rate of something on the order of (1.9 million to 3.2 million litres) a day until the relief wells are dug.”

As if the environment needed any more bad news, the oil rig mishap that caused this catastrophe apparently couldn’t have happened at a worse time. BP crews are attempting to intersect the leaking well with two new relief wells to in order to pump a heavy liquid that may “stem the flow of oil”. This process began at the beginning of May and is not expected to be completed before August.

United States President, Barack Obama is adamant that the oil spill cleanup is a top priority. He insists that the U.S. government is doing all it can to monitor the situation and tirelessly work towards stopping the flow of oil.

Said Obama: “Until this well is stopped, we’ll multiply our efforts to meet the growing threat and to address the widespread and unbelievably painful losses experienced by the people along the Gulf Coast.”

Once again, this situation should remind us all about the fragility of our environment. And although we cannot all join in with the U.S. government’s efforts to clean up the oil spill, we should be aware of our daily activities that may either contribute to the health of our environment or work to destroy it.

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