My prediction: Startups in Houston will find ways to 'reclaim' the spilled BP oil

[Taverner]

Granted, these methods will not be very safe or environmentally conscious...

But it will be typical 'Rock and Hard place'/Disaster Capitalism type stuff

[midnight]

1. Isn't this good? Won't it be a way to clean it up and remove it from the land?

I don't know if this is a good thing or not?

[Taverner]

4. Well, while it may be a way to clean up the gulf

At the same time, 'collectors' will use harsh chemicals to do so

For this kind of activity you need some sort of solvent, stronger than water...

[w4rma]

2. Maybe if one person can gather 2 barrels of oil an hour. Otherwise, I don't see a profit. nt

[The Straight Story]

3. BP will spin off some small companies to do this, then pay themselves

and get a tax deduction while they are at it. Throw in some food vendors for the workers (which they will own) and the cleanup may end up earning them some money :)

[skeptical cynic]

5. More than likely, "energy recovery" will be a sham to avoid

the cost of disposing of crude-soaked debris as hazardous waste. Depending on conditions, there may be enough benzene (it doesn't take much) present in the residue to make in a characteristic hazardous waste under federal regulations, which will require very expensive storage, transportation and disposal. If a claim can be made that the crude is being recovered to be used for it's original purpose, they might be able to avoid the hazardous waste management problem. It won't be cost effective as an energy source, but going through the motions will avoid the waste management costs and reduce the financial burden.

[Taverner]

6. OK I see how they will make money

They will obscure the disposal of the waste through a bill that lets them dump this shit elsewhere for dirt cheap - all in the name of "saving" the gulf

Mark my words on that

[skeptical cynic]

7. "Natural attenuation"

is something we're going to be hearing a lot about in this spill.

In some cases it makes sense. In most cases it's just a fancy term for saving money by doing nothing but sampling while nature slowly heals itself.