No, not really: No methane gas explosion in the Gulf, no tidal waves destroying Florida...
Apparently the press is finally trying to check if this is a real risk or just a crazy theory; thankfully there've been a bunch of articles out this week debunking it. Here's what I found.
(Of course this is still a terrible disaster, but not quite THAT over-the-top terrible, at least...)
Here's the most frequently quoted basis for the scary theory, Gregory Ryskin from NW Univ.
http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/archives/313
But he has since clarified that he doesn't think his theories are relevant to the current situation:
http://www.businessinsider.com/gregory-ryskin-methane-2010-7
And this analysis gives a mostly non-panic-inducing picture:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/busting-gulf-oil-spill-myths/story?id=11069605\
(Although some of the other things they discuss as the basis for this myth are less than ideal.)
According to Gary Byerly, a geologist at Louisiana State University:
"The idea that there could be a catastrophic cave in, or a methane gas explosion, that's not a reasonable worry. [...] The rock formations on top of this oil deposit have enough strength that nothing like that is going to happen."
I found similar quotes elsewhere. So... good.
That said, the high methane levels from this particular spill aren't great for the local ecosystem:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2221822720100622
Of course, neither is the oil. But we knew that.
(Of course this is still a terrible disaster, but not quite THAT over-the-top terrible, at least...)
Here's the most frequently quoted basis for the scary theory, Gregory Ryskin from NW Univ.
http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/archives/313
But he has since clarified that he doesn't think his theories are relevant to the current situation:
http://www.businessinsider.com/gregory-ryskin-methane-2010-7
And this analysis gives a mostly non-panic-inducing picture:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/busting-gulf-oil-spill-myths/story?id=11069605\
(Although some of the other things they discuss as the basis for this myth are less than ideal.)
According to Gary Byerly, a geologist at Louisiana State University:
"The idea that there could be a catastrophic cave in, or a methane gas explosion, that's not a reasonable worry. [...] The rock formations on top of this oil deposit have enough strength that nothing like that is going to happen."
I found similar quotes elsewhere. So... good.
That said, the high methane levels from this particular spill aren't great for the local ecosystem:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2221822720100622
Of course, neither is the oil. But we knew that.