I have not written much about the BP Oil Spill because I saw little connection between this ongoing event and End Times prophecy. The BP Oil Spill is certainly a major environmental disaster, a disaster for those who are living on the Gulf Coast, an event that could impact the upcoming midterm elections in the U.S., and an event that will impact future American energy policy. However, I did not think it is an event that is more important than a likely major downturn in the global economy. The past couple of days, however, I have heard some information from an energy industry expert that is so alarming that I am compelled to share it with you in case you do live on the Gulf Coast or are following the BP Oil Spill closely.
Matt Simmons, author of Twilight in the Desert, expressed his concern late last week that many people could die as the result of a strong hurricane bringing up a large, growing layer of toxic oil that currently exists 4500 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. The toxic oil layer contains lethal levels of methane which would probably kill virtually any creature that encounters it.
- Hurricanes would have the potential to bring up a toxic oil layer to the surface because they are weather systems that churn up water. Hurricanes absorb heat from the surface and in the process cause the water below the surface to rise up towards the surface. Slow moving hurricanes tend to churn the water the most because they are absorbing the heat from the same area for a long period of time. A strong, slow moving hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico like a Katrina or Rita would be disastrous because it would bring that toxic oil from the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico up to the surface and potentially bring that toxic oil well into land with its massive storm surge.
Simmons also proclaimed that he would evacuate his family if he lived along the Gulf Coast because of the potential threat that this toxic oil could have if it was brought inland. You can access the entire interview with Simmons at the following link
- Whether you believe Matt Simmons is totally up to you. I am just informing people of his comments in case they have not heard them.
Currently there is a tropical wave north of Puerto Rico that has the potential to develop later this week into a tropical storm or hurricane. Although forecasting the intensity of tropical systems is very difficult to do, especially when trying to forecast the intensity of a storm several days from now, it is unlikely that it is going to be a storm that brings us a worst case scenario. However, the storm may cause some evacuations of people working on the oil spill because it is currently projected to be in the Gulf of Mexico this weekend potentially as a category one hurricane.
The concern is what may happen in August and September because that is the time of year when you get the strongest storms and the time of year when tropical waves are most prone to develop. Given the potential for a major loss of life, the BP Oil Spill certainly cannot be ignored nor can the weather.
