as we have seen on other threads
watch the units that information is expressed in
ppm
ppb
and ug/m3

it can be VERY deceiving
make sure yuo check the saftey standards
in the units the measurements are expressed in

converting from ppm or ppb to ug/m3
which many measurenents are in
is almost impossible without temp and pressure readings too

and comparing the measurements in ug/m3 to safety standards in ppm or ppb makes it look to the unaware that everything is just fine

[edit on 15-6-2010 by Danbones]

Originally posted by Oneolddude
Well,let us be clear here.

Petroleum is complex.

The volatiles do evaporate or flash off.That is the smell that people have reported smelling.Naptha,Kerosene,Gasoline,etc.

What is left floating and washing up on the beaches is the asphaltic tar and waxes,grease,the heavier petroleum products.

Ever heard of petroleum jelly?

The difference between the Gulf leak and the Exxon Valdez spill in Alsaka is water temperature.

The present disaster happened in warm waters and the oil is "sweet" oil very fluid.

The Alaskan crude is a lot heavier.

Those waxy residues washing up are going to be a bear to clean up.

The Alaskan crude was indeed heavier but not a lot heavier. The Macando well is a gas well. Most wells in the GOM are. Not all though. A good gas well produces oil and gas. The Macondo is definitely a good well.There is one error in your thinking. At the depth that the well is leaking the sea water temperature is very cold. I saw -14° on an ROV display. Even if that's °C it's still very cold. At 1,800 PSIG and that temperature the well stream "wants" to be liquid.

The big difference between this accident and the Valdez was that the Valdez spewed oil slowly onto the surface of a pristine sound. The water was cold. And the area was more confined. Couple that with the utter destruction that the cleanup caused to the area and imho the Valdez still eclipses the damage done by the DWH.

For those that are worried about Benzene- You get a greater exposure to Benzene and Benzene derivatives from fueling your car than you will anything that vaporizes from the DWH. I always move away from the fuel nozzle when I fuel my vehicle and I don't return to it until it clicks off.

Also- Glycol dehydration is a producer of Benzene and other products called BTEX (pronounced Bee-tex). BTEX is composed of Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-benzene, and Xylene. These products are used in chemical processes. During the last 10 - 15 years regulations have come into place in the US where all new Dehy's have to be outfitted with a recovery device but none of them are all that efficient. The captured Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl-benzene, and Xylene are usually pumped to crude oil tanks. Benzene has been released into the air from these units for decades. There are literally millions of them in operation worldwide.