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Subscribe to RSSBP’s getting some help from a surprising source: Kevin Costner.
As efforts to contain the 114 million gallons of oil that have gushed into the Gulf dragged on with only partial success, BP has ordered 32 centrifuge machines from Ocean Therapy Solutions, a company backed by Costner. The centrifuges, which weigh in at about 4,000 pounds each, suck in oil and water and spin them at high speeds. Because they have different densities, the fluids are separated, the oil is trapped, and clean salt water is released back into the ocean.
So what does the “Field of Dreams” actor have to do with all of this? In interviews Monday with “Good Morning America” and CNN, Costner explained he was inspired to create an invention of this type after seeing the damage from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. He contributed more than $20 million to create it, and his brother Dan, a scientist, created the actual device. They teamed up with a former Department of Energy employee and joined forces with Ocean Therapy Solutions, a California-based company with a hub in Louisiana, and created their first machines about a decade ago.
The company says its most advanced device can clean water at a rate of 200 gallons per minute.
Last week Costner told a congressional committee, "It may seem an unlikely scenario that I'm the one delivering this technology at this moment in time, but from where I'm sitting, it is equally inconceivable that these machines are not already in place."
On its website, Ocean Therapy Solutions says, “Oil and water don't mix. Let us separate it for you.”
Read an amusing yet informative Q&A from Gawker about how the centrifuges work here.
-Elizabeth Chuck, msnbc.com
Leave a Comment:
Good for him, hope it works!
What a great use of celebrity and resources. Way to go Kevin! We need more people like you, who see a need and fill it.
Americans for the most part are ignorant. Why we are unable to see that this is just a publicity stunt by BP to help stem public pressure by appearing to be doing something. These machines can clean 200 gallons a minute. How many thousands of square miles of ocean have been affected, billions of gallons doesn't even come close to estimating how many gallons of water need to be cleaned. Costner is no saint either. He invested 20 million dollars in research and development, well I don't think he's giving the machines to BP. In reality he is profiting off of disaster to our environment, and being treated like he's making a difference.
I hate to say it, but all efforts need to be to slow the flow, drill the relief wells, and spend the cleanup dollars on cleaning the beaches and wetlands.
This information was BRIEFLY in the press about a month ago that Mr. Costner had these machines in place. I must agree with his statement, "......but from where I'm sitting, it is equally inconceivable that these machines are not already in place."
I find it appalling that our gov't and BP did not seek this out immediately. Thank you Kevin Costner for being a solution to the problem and not more red tape. I wish more celebs would use there money to help the planet and people.
I agree with Boone29...I saw the same report on the news about a month ago....why wasn't it tried out then? Hmmmmmm??? The almighty $$$$$$ perhaps? Greed is (and ultimately will) destroy the world.
thank you Kevin and Dan!!!!
Granted, 200 GPM is a pea in a pod for the Gulf, but it's a far cry from doing nothing to clean the place up. 32 centrifuges X 200 GPM = 6,400 GPM. Get'em in the right places, near the beaches, might just do a lot of good. One might ask why this wasn't done sooner I know I sure am.
In reply to adam-1890966, I agree americans are idiots. Not for the reason you stated but for the fact that these were not deployed right away. This disaster has gone on for over a month; so lets do the math. 32 devices X 200 gallons/ min X 60 min/ hour X 24 hous/ day X 40 days = 368,640,000. That would have been over 350 million gallons of oil fouled water treated in just 40 days of the disaster. Although, the oceans are vast, only the surface would be treated. With an early deployment of these devices, just imagine how much less oil and tar would be washing up on the beacehs!
Kudos to Mr. Costner and his brother. Sad part in this is that there are probably at least a dozen great ideas out there that the oil companies haven't explored, because they are too greedy.
Adam 1890966 you are a true downer....I don't care how this oil gets cleaned up but IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLEANED UP DAYS AGO.....Costner built a device that will help - WHO ELSE HAS DONE THAT??? No one has stepped up to the plate including our own government - SHAME ON OBAMA!!! Grow up Adam and realize the damage - at this point, who cares who earns money - many people and valuable, beautiful land is being destroyed - get your priorities straight Adam.
Doesn't anyone read or watch the news. These were depoyed a month ago. They failed and were sent back to the drawing board for modifications. Hopefully the next time they're deployed they will work.
My guess is that this will not clean the oil out of the water any faster. The article doesn't specify how these machines work, but considering they are just simple centrifuges, it would seem they still need tankers to pump up the water and then store the oil. They are already doing this at full capacity...they just aren't separating the oil as fast.
Hopefully I'm wrong and these machines can work independently to speed up the clean up process.
Shelly, no land is being destroyed, this isn't a nuclear meltdown. A few beaches will just be dirty for a couple years. Furthermore, government politicians are not scientists. The logistics of cleaning a massive oil spill is not as easy as some hill-billy demonstrating that hay can soak up a cup of water in a bucket of water makes it out to be. Nature is our biggest ally in this, what isn't cleaned with booms, siphons, and burning, will decompose or emulsify and sink to the bottom of the ocean.
I had not heard that Frank, but it wouldn't surprise me.
To anyone who believes that drilling the relief wells has not been the first and only real plan of action from the beginning let me say that BP did their job with the smoke screens of capping the well and backfilling. Whatever. I live on the coast in Alabama and it is beyond heartbreaking to see our beach. What is more heartbreaking is to see the ancient technology being used to clean it up - shovels, paper towels and trashbags. Why isn't everything being used to keep it off the beach. They should have Costner's machines and skimmer boats and oil eating enzymes and every other tool imaginable out just off shore trying to put on a good offense instead of waiting to scoop it up with a shovel which is a pathetic defense. And these booms, most of them are in wads on the shore line. Let the local governments and fire departments be in charge of keeping this stuff out of here. The fedreral government has NO IDEA what is going on. If they did, the regulators wouldn't have let the shortcuts happen prior to the explosion.
"Amen" to that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to go Kevin!!!
wow what a coincidence!!! maybe he caused the leak to begin with... right! Greed! oh and by the way, my brother and I just happened to have come up with this brand new device.... hmmmmm
He has had this machine for well over 10 yrs but the oil companies didn't think they needed it as it costs money. If they had it there would not have been pollution. Big Oil had to be pushed against the wall but Costner had a dream and finally we get the benefit.
way to go kevin, finally someone has removed there head from there a........ and is doing something positive
Funny though that a guy in Missouri developed the same thing, and has been trying to contact BP and the local Gulf State governments for some time now, but since he's not a CELEBRITY he doesn't get the time of day.
All he has to do is contact Governor Jindal or James Carvell and I bet he will be in business in a nano-second!
Hats off to you Kevin Costner.. its great to see someone wanting to help out instead of playing the blame game that P. Obama is doing. Thanks!!
I have a new and greater respect for Kevin Costner after watching him on Anderson Cooper last night. The problem is, why didn't BP listen to his idea 7 weeks ago? I'm hoping this works and he'll be a hero to all. Long needed, long overdue.
Exactly! Costner has been pitching this idea for a while and no one was listening. I guess 114 MILLION GALLONS OF OIL LATER, they're willing to listen to about anyone. Hats off to Mr. Costner and his brother.
i think they should be using 100's of those pumps..........hope they help.
they had to test it for 3 weeks before deploying even though everyone knew it worked.
Oh thank God! I was wondering when Hollywood would come to the rescue! I hope the Baldwin boys sign on as well!
Well at least he's trying to do something! I haven't seen or heard of anyone else, including you, doing anything to help the situation!!
Banyuaigo - I don't care if it's Hollywood or WHO it is! WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE HELP!
Banyuaigo maybe if you actually read an article before throwing out a cheap shot(an offense I've committed in the past myself) you wouldn't come off looking like a jackass??
What do you expect from a name like Banyuaigo!! I concur Louisanagirl and Fred G.
I heard about this a weekago and I am glad they are going to let this system help clean up this problem. I just can't understand why it had to go before our government and why it wasn't already put into place. Way to to Mr. Costner. Question did BP know about this system and if they did why wasn't it already working for the good of the area.
And why, pray tell wasnt this an opion in the first place? It took 50+ days for this info to surface.
This, and many other ideas and products that work to one degree or another.
The failure to utilize anything and everything that would produce a positive effect is the failing of the Gov't and BP
Everything from Hay to Centrifuges should have been deployed within the first few days and we would be miles ahead of where we are today.
This was BPs call and was tested for 3 weeks! Remeber everyone BP has to pay and a good part of the reason things are slow. This really works or they would not have spent the money. Shame is having to ramp up the factory to get the 32 ordered but sounds as though it will be pretty quick. They can produce 10 a week.
Way to go Kevin.Let's all pray this helps.
Amen!
About time BP got some help from somebody...
And how much gasoline or electricity does this machine chewup to do this cleanup?
That is a really gooood Democratic question, ask President Obama, I am sure he will get around to an answer to your question in the near future.
Who cares at this point you idiot ! Do you wake up every morning looking for something to bitch about ?
Whats more important here, cleaning up the ocean or worrying about the cost of doing so? Who cares how much it takes, it needs to be done!
you are an idiot!
What the hell does it matter? Did you forget that BP is in the GASOLINE business? Smart people would think they'll use BP's gas and get it for NOTHING! What a dope.
who cares as long as it takes the oil out of water and BP pays for it!!!!
who cares how much gas and electricity is used? They're not discharging the waste into the water, are they? The point is to get the poison out of the water, which this equipment purportedly does. Turn the mothers ON!
sundoll, I agree 100%. Personally, I hope this forces British Petroleum into bankruptcy. I'm appalled by their dishonesty and incompetence. Bastards!
That's so great! I hope it works. Way to go Kevin. You're our hero!!
It's stupid statements like yours that ruin the word HERO, usually saved for someone who risks or gave their life for others!
He is a Hero- He IS SAVING lives. The faster the oil cleanup, less wildlife has to die..
I agree he is a hero-saving our water, peoples work and he paid for it on his own. Can't imagine anyone critical. He helped get this off the ground after the Exxon-Valdez and has tried to get interest since then. Big Oil are pigs and for no other reason we need to go to different energy. We can change forcing oil companies to adapt.
The centrifugal separation of oil and water is how ocean liners store their fuel and ballast the ship. They pump the fuel into the ballast tanks and mix it with sea water. The fuel is separated from the water by gigantic centrifuges in the engine room and puts the water back in the tanks along with more water from teh ocean. Call Alfa Laval-they make these 'fuges that can do thousands of gallons/minute and are already on big cruise liners owned by Carnival, etc. that are sailing around the world right now. The Coast Guard should commandeer them along with other Navy vessels-sail them directly to the Gulf and modify the equipment on the ships to compliment what Costner proposes.
An Excellent Post.....
I'm an ex-Coast Guard naval engineer. In general, your post is correct. Oily-water separators are not new. However, the ability to do them at massive scale IS new (your "thousands of gallons/minute" for Alpha Laval OWS' figure is not correct...they are typically measured in 1 to 2 thousand l/h as in liters/hour...which would be 250-500 gallons an HOUR compared to Costners 200 per minute technology claim).
Ralph, I stand corrected regarding your rate of clearance. However, multiply that rate by the number of ships that could be used and their mobility and the fact they could be there already, and we may get somewhere or have gotten somewhere. Anyway, thanks.
Kevin for president! Great to see some action from somebody!
Such a big deal was made because it was Kevin Costner who had the idea, but at this point, I don't care who came up with the idea as long as something gets done. It is ridiculous that it has gone on this long and as much money as this company makes you would think they had the resources to have fixed it already. Good for Kevin. Let's pray it works.
great!
Once again, private enterprise has stepped forward to offer a real and dynamic solution. What has President Obama and his cronies offered other than looking for a butt to kick?
I am so tired of everything that goes wrong in this country is blamed on Obama - or whoever happens to be in that seat at the time. I have not seen his magic wand - have you? One stupid politician in Idaho tried to say it was Obama and Polusi (not right I am sure) are to blame for the economy - bankrupting this country --- oops did he forget that bush did that? What is it you think Obama should do here - throw billions of dollars in the hole to plug it up - this is a corporate matter (welcome to capitalist government!!) and he is doing what he can - He expresses how we all feel and demands results and BP is the only one to blame here and everyone with a brain can see that pretty easily - even if they are blind
You are so tired of everyone blaming who is in the seat at the time, yet you just blamed Bush! typical liberal idiot!
Benram- because that is his style, sit , think, then play the blame game.If he is capable of any independent actions, can anyone think of any?
It is about time that someone with money donates a huge amount for a good cause instead of getting on TV and asking struggling Americans who are suffering from an economic crises to donate. I don't understand the nerve of the rich and famous to ask us to donate when even a million is nothing to them but $10 to us may be the last money we have for gas for the week. Thank you Kevin, hopefully others in your financial status will follow your lead and something can get done fast.
I don't care how much gas or electricity it uses, long as it can clean our ocean up from the oil why worry about how much gas/elect it would take?? They can use BP gas. KC your awesome for inventing such a thing hope no I pray it works. either way Thank You!!
Good idea, but do you know how many gallons of water are in the gulf? Should take a long time to have an impact on the situation, I'm afraid
Won't take long at all. There are 114 million gallons in the gulf already, and each of Costner's machines seperates 200 gallons per minute which equals 12,000 gallons per hour or 288,000 gallons per day. Multiply this by 32 machines and that means that all of Costner's machines can seperate 9,216,000 per day. Divide 114 million gallons by 9,216,000 and you find that all of Costner's machines can seperate all of the oil presently in the gulf in 12.36 days.
Not too bad at all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's hope so
Not so sure that you math works. It will go through 200 gal. of water/min, but that does not meant that it eliminates 200 gal. of oil/min. And even if they can eliminate the oil in the current water, they still have to stop the leak!
wow - great math!
Zipollini.... the gulf has 643 quadrillion gallons of water and oil in it right now not 112 million
That's 643,000,000,000,000,000 gallons, which will take 191 million years if they had to clean the entire gulf.
Zipollini, your calculations are in error. They assume that 100% of the 200 gallons per minute are oil. In actuallity, the ratio is more like 100 to 1, water to oil in dense areas, less in ohters. And the ratio will get less as more is separated. Also assumes that they'll only pick up fom contaminated areas. This will take a long time or a lot more separators.
That is a wrong calculation Zippolini. The 200 gallons/min is contaminated water, that means the oil content in that 200 gallons could be anywhere from 0.01gallon of oil/200gallons of contaminated water. The chances of this machine working are 50-50 at this point, but it is better than 0 so lets go ahead with it. It will take more than 12 days (I would say a few months to a few years) to be completely clean of the oil in the region. It is not simple math we have here, if it was then it would have been much easier.
I won't go about saying Kevin Costner is doing anything extra ordinary here, he is being a human for a human cause. I think crisis like these are when AMERICANS need to stop with the polit(r)ics and stick with the issue. Who or how this happened is not important? What we do here will define our legacy...... If you think only one political party was responsible for this and the other was a Saint then you my friend are the dumbest adult around. Lets all pray this works and we can enjoy our southern coast like we have all known to do for many many years in the past and into the future.
But you just have to get to the water that has oil in it, which, at least for now, is not the entire gulf.
We heard about Mr Costners technology over 3 weeks ago...why is it taking our government so long in determining that it is LONG past time to be making whatever efforts are necessary to stop or clean up this mess. It should never have been this long. Our government not allowing the Gov of Louisiana to use burn off or chemical sponges to keep the oil contained was simply unacceptable and still we are in commitee and congressional hearings before any action is being set in place. What a horrific process this government of ours is becoming. Ineffective, incompetent and yet lining their own pockets I'm sure!!!!
AnnT...-the government doesn't have anything to do with the decision to use Mr. Costner's brother's centrifuge system, BP had to decide if they wanted to purchase the equipment (or at the least, rent it). Why does every Republican say "government stay out" until there is a crisis then it's "why hasn't the government stepped in?" Oh, yeah, burning oil-great solution. Then when homes are burned citizens will blame the president for that. Sponges? Here's a thougt, how about Tampons-they soak up everything. Real tangible solutions are necessary, not kindergarten ideas (although I think some kindergartners might come up with a better solution than burning oil or sponges). Get over it, this is NOT a political mistake, this is a corporate mistake (leading to an environmental problem). Don't blame the government for every conceivable wrong-this is BP's error. Period. End of story.
So how has de-regulation worked? Interesting Jindall wanted nothing to do with Govt until he needed us.
What the hell are we waiting for? Get them out there they should have been out since day one. Get them into the marshes. Gather up a 1000 gallons and dump it all over BP's corporate offices right in the friggin lobby! Save a gallon and dump it in the shorts of the CEO with the bad hair dye job...
In the words of Big Black...Do Work Son! We are disappointed that BP doesn't have contingency plans for these scenarios, which is not an unknown or new problem. Unfortunately, BP now has to rebuild and regain the consumers trust which will undoubtedly bring upon them financial and regulatory hardship, but they must take action and stop this leak NOW! Implode the well if you have to! You can always reconstruct which by now, may have been the better option. But you've got to act immediately, without delay, to stop this catastrophe. Use Kevin Costner's technology, use all the resources you can so that we minimize the hazards that may have future effects on our environment and ultimately on us!
Thank You Mr. Costner !!! Kevin Costner for Governor of La !!!
Jindall has 50 Million from BP and at least until the last few days had only spend $3,000.00 and locals are upset. Easy to jump around but what has he done. He didn't order the machines which he could have,
This was already reported about a month ago. Just another example of how lacking in leadership the Government is.
About time BP let someone help out. Of all the side projects I've heard of actors doing, this certainly is one of the most worthwhile ones. Nice to know someone with the money Costner has is putting it to good, green use.
. . . the info from Kevin Costner has been in the media for weeks now . . . I am happy that someone with this type of visibility and it seems knowledge, came out to help the Gulf . . . where are the other Hollywooders that are always doing announcement spots for charities overseas and preaching, "Go Green?" What about the reporters on the entertainment shows and the talk show hosts that can bring so much attention to this subject everyday??? Guess the oil would mess the red carpet!