UGA Scientists Very Concerned Over Methane In Gulf

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Jul 1, 2010, 7:15:55 PM7/1/10

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UGA Scientists Very Concerned Over Methane In Gulf
UGA scientists continue to study the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Many of the other scientists working on the spill are focused on the surface of the water, and on the oil. The UGA team is tackling a different issue -- one that could impact not just sea life but the atmosphere as well. The UGA scientists are looking at conditions below the surface of the water. And the target of their concern is gas, not oil. "There's an under-appreciation about the amount of gas coming out of the well." That's Dr. Samantha Joye, speaking on a conference call with journalists Tuesday. She said methane makes up about 40 percent of the oily mixture that is pouring out of the Deep Water Horizon well. Also known as natural gas, methane is invisible. But that doesn't mean it's harmless. "I think BP officials have said, 'Oh the gas is going straight into the atmosphere,' as if that doesn't matter," Dr. Joye said. "Well it does matter since it's a potent greenhouse gas."