Deep beneath Gulf, oil may be wreaking havoc

BP will reimburse legitimate claims they say. But the unmeasurable damage like the deaths of billions of sea life and residue left behind will affect the oceans and coastal ecosystems for generations. But they can safely drill off shore, huh?

Sure they can, and when they do they'll use equipment that doesn't have an automatic shutoff that could have prevented all this.

Meanwhile BP is taking the metal dome catch apparatus that won't be installed for a week, if they get it in place.

Where are those screaming "Drill...Baby...Drill!" < :-)

This is the most depressing thing I've read in a while. The "Drill, baby, drill" people look so small and silly now. So do the "small government" governors crying for federal government help. In the end, though, we all live by oil and may die by oil.

Drilling for oil is a risk. Now we know exactly what that risk is. Buy Baby Buy!!

I can just hear some silly twit asking 'Has anyone heard news of victims' families bringing a class action lawsuit against BP? Or did the GOP under Bush and his oily buddies legislate to prevent lawsuits from being brought against Big Oil?'

Trouble is, the Washington Post reports,

"The Interior Department exempted BP's calamitous Gulf of Mexico drilling operation from a detailed environmental-impact analysis last year, [ i.e. 2009] according to government documents, after three reviews of the area concluded that a massive oil spill was unlikely."

The spill was unlikely because, well, BP gave millions to Obama.

Seriously, what else were you thinking?

Americans are now learning the real cost of their thirst for oil. A very timely reminder.

Due to large earthquakes and other such events, oil has been leaking out since it first formed. Just because this one happened with a rig, does not mean that it cannot happen if there was no rig. The ocean will cleanse itself. There is a lot more damage from places like China throwing all their chemicals and industrial garbage in their rivers having it wash out to sea.

Whether the ocean will cleanse itself is unknown. When the amount of oil reaches a tipping point, it can leave behind permanent ecological change that includes wiping out certain species of plants and animals. This has already happened in the past and could well happen this time. Besides, it's the combination of oil with other forms of pollution that causes the worst damage.

Sarah Palin still digs off-shore drilling. But I bet millions of patriotic Americans who - unlike Sarah - actually love their country, would quickly disagree. It seems like Sarah is yet again on the wrong side of the argument.

I really can't see what the private citizen Palin has to do with an ecological disaster caused by a company,British Petroleum,that the Obama administration declared last year did not present a risk in the Gulf region.

Recently in the news I read that most of those 600-1,000 oil rigs in the Gulf will lose oil into the ocean at some time or another, but it generally does not get reported. It may there fore be difficult to tell whose oil is whose on the ocean floor.

Egalityranny, it seems like you haven't been following the news for at least 2 years. Sarah thinks off-shore drilling rocks. Even after it has caused what is likely to become the biggest environmental disaster in America's history. And she supported it both when she wasn't and was a private citizen. Sorry to have to update you like this.

The "Drill, baby, drill" people look so small and silly now. So do the "small government" governors crying for federal government help. In the end, though, we all live by oil and may die by oil.

I'm still all for offshore drilling. Incidents will occure but energy is necessary and unless we either start building a whole lot more nuclear plants (another one I'd love) or until somebody finds a way to make more cost effective renewable energy systems oil and coal are all we have.

But I bet millions of patriotic Americans who - unlike Sarah - actually love their country, would quickly disagree.

It's not about one's love for their country, it's simple economics. People want to buy oil, people don't want to pay for the oil, this trend is not going to dissipate for at least two decades. Meanwhile there are vast untapped oil deposites in the Gulf, in Alaska, Colorado, and Utah. Renewable energy has my full approval, we need it, but it still needs development and it's current state is more of a novelty than a serious alternative at this point.

goddog: what is difference of a natural disaster and a man made disaster? If it happened before, I do not remember any but the result is the same. Life and economies can be disrupted. Now, we should see if BP did anything in their power to prevent this disaster.

Meanwhile BP is taking the metal dome catch apparatus that won't be installed for a week, if they get it in place... Where are those screaming "Drill...Baby...Drill!" < :-)

Well, Obama is the biggest recipient of BP campaign dollars, then last year the Obama administration exempted the BP drill site from an environmental impact analysis. Interesting...

Where are those screaming "Drill...Baby...Drill!" Actually, more oil has been spilled by transporting it. And as for who is screaming drill baby drill, well, since this topic is on the Gulf of Mexico, They are... Oh, so are the Chinese. In fact, Mexico has the largest oil spill in the gulf to date, if not in the world.

So, if we don't do it, someone will.

skipthesong

Actually, more oil has been spilled by transporting it. You talking about the Exxon Valdez? That was a real disaster!!! Except for the Exxon Valdez, it's minor leaks. It's nothing to the extent of this catastrophe. And this isn't over by a long shot. But please enlighten me.

goddog

Due to large earthquakes and other such events, oil has been leaking out since it first formed.

Again, nothing to this extent. But please tell me where we've had an earthquake that released large amounts of crude oil, especially one that continues to release oil in the amounts we're looking at right now.

Yes, there are other countries drilling offshore, but they use rigs that if this accident happens there is an automatic shutoff that doesn't allow this type of oil release.

Folks BP screwed up royally. But please repeat the trash that Rush Limbaugh and other right wing talking heads. I love listening to Rush and his types. Rush was just livid by the comment that the government has their foot against the throats of BP. < :-)

my apology, let me correct this portion of my post. skipthesong

Actually, more oil has been spilled by transporting it.

You talking about the Exxon Valdez? That was a real disaster!!! Except for the Exxon Valdez, it's minor leaks. It's nothing to the extent of this catastrophe. And this isn't over by a long shot. But please enlighten me. < :-)

aday, I was talking about over all. More oil has been lost while in transport, and as for Valdez, its not even in the top ten oil disasters believe it or not.

Anyway, BP did screw up, as of what we know, but the the safe guards were to be in place and checked by the gov. And, if you believe BP is going to pay out more than what they legally have to, you are a political fool... Oh, I wish I were wrong and you were right, but the gov is going to brush this aside and find another issue once the big picture has past.

skipthesong, show me the list of top ten then.

if you believe BP is going to pay out more than what they legally have to, you are a political fool...

Where did I allude that BP would ever pay more than they legally have to?

but the the safe guards were to be in place and checked by the gov.

Here's where the US does screw up. Other countries require an automatic shut off. The US hasn't. That is a major error on the govt's part. But I have a feeling that dick cheney's secret energy meeting had something to do with this. < :-)

well for starters: http://envirowonk.com/content/view/68/1/

My point to you is that do you really have that much faith in other countries drilling regs than that of the US's especially under O?

Do you guys understand the marine food chain? It is fragile and already being eroded at the rate of around 5% per year by acidification from C02 poisoning.

What this article is saying is that this another kick in the guts for the crabs and molluscs that make up the bottom of it. We are looing at no fish eating in the year 2025 the way we are heading and this predicted collapse of the marine food chain is being revised down annually as exponential previously unconsidered factors kick in.

Enjoy your sakana while you can

michalgtodd: I am not disagreeing with you. My point to aday was that even if we don't drill in the gulf, there are still a lot of countries that are. So, either way......

With oil drilling and the use of oil products like gasoline and heating oil under attack, I want to know what President Obama has done to promote nuclear energy.

Thanks skipthesong. We use the Exxon Valdez as a measure because it's the biggest spill on American shores in recent history. My fear is that this disaster will eclipse even the top ten you supplied.

Yes, I do have more faith in "some" other countries because they have required the automatic shutoffs that the US hasn't. < :-)

Well, I don't have any direct communication with the White house these days. Drop them a line and tell them what they need.

Sarge, your question is off topic of the oil spill, but here's your answer.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2651679/president_obama_embraces_nuclear_power.html?cat=15

This accident gives more credence to pushing for more non-petroleum energy sources. < :-)

This accident gives more credence to pushing for more non-petroleum energy sources." I beg for that... I've established that fact a long time ago. The problem is the cost in converting that in the near future is way too high.

I think the White House knows what we need to make drilling safer. And you're going to see an effort coming forth in the next year that will make these wells safer. Like automatic shutoffs.

But, I think we're going to see less drilling offshore then the oil drillers want to see. The Obama administration has already put a stop to his idea about more offshore drilling. < :-)

But, I think we're going to see less drilling offshore then the oil drillers want to see. " True, but speculators love this fact!

Less drilling doesn't mean less oil. It just means less offshore oil. That doesn't reduce what we're getting right now. It means less new off shore oil drilling.

Oil speculators use anything to increase the cost of petroleum though. < :-)

Oil speculators use anything to increase the cost of petroleum though." Hey, everyone's gotta make a buck. Didn't Rham Emanuel say never waste a crises right?

I think so. < :-)

Bottom line, the world needs to find an alternative to oil. It's messy.

"the world needs to find an alternative to oil"

There isn't an alternative. Oil is it. It's the same on every other M-class planet. This is why we have not been visited/destroyed by aliens. Every intelligent culture develops an oil industry, the oil gets used up, and the culture reverts to the stone age. Have a nice day!

Sarge, you're so into oil that you can't see any alternate energy source. Brazil has been using sugar cane ethanol in their gasoline for a long time.

It's not all that difficult. < :-)

Why is everyone harping on the US here when BP is a British Company? It's like they are blaming America for what another party did. Or is the current administration to blame for what BP has done? I guess so.

Or is the current administration to blame for what BP has done?

Yes, look it up - Obama is the biggest recipient of BP campaign dollars, then last year the Obama administration exempted the BP drill site from an environmental impact analysis.

The exemption you reference is only 1 of 250 to 400 exemptions given a year to Gulf Drilling projects. It had nothing to do with campaign donations. But keep trying. < :-)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/04/AR2010050404118.html

The MMS mandates that companies drilling in some areas identify under NEPA what could reduce a project's environmental impact. But Interior Department spokesman Matt Lee-Ashley said the service grants between 250 and 400 waivers a year for Gulf of Mexico projects. He added that Interior has now established the "first ever" board to examine safety procedures for offshore drilling. It will report back within 30 days on BP's oil spill and will conduct "a broader review of safety issues," Lee-Ashley said.

"Obama is the biggest recipient of BP campaign dollars"

I'm no fan of Obama, but this is not his fault or doing.

New facts are emerging. Platform alarms may have been turned off. It was reported this morning that it's a common occurrence for oil platforms to turn off their alarms because they go off so often that they turn them off. < :-)

Funny how when one is president they are either totally to blame or totally innocent. Depending on who is telling you about which individual president. Should have seen the internet hubbub when anything happend when Bush was president. A bit lopsided I must say.