OIL spill

[ivan]

It's easy to take that stance when the white cliffs of Dover aren't being turned black, or the entire channel turned into the tar pits. Let your water supply be poisoned and entire means of income be destroyed and we'll see how sympethic you are. BP has not come to the table in solving this problem, and now it seems they're more concerned with capturing the oil than stopping the leak. If you're dreaming to even imply that BP should be in any way let off the hook or relaxed in this, then it's time to wake up.

 

And if it were an American company that had caused such a disaster on foreign shores do you think for a minute that the USA would give a sh!t? They sure as hell would fight tooth and nail any attempt by the UK to prosecute the offenders.

 

While I have every sympathy with the residents affected by the disaster I feel that Obama and the US in general aren't doing enough to help the situation. Trying to shoulder the blame on Britain (note: it's NOT British Petroleum, it's a global concern) won't fix things at all.

[jagman]

In 1988 Just off the coast of Aberdeen, there was an oil rig called Piper Alpha - owned and operated by an American company called occidental . It exploded due bad maintanence practices 167 people died - Not 1 charge was made against the US company..............

How many more incidents involving American companies would you like me to quote?- there are many worldwide

America lost the moral high ground years ago.

Look at the recent treatment of Toyota over the throttle pedals,Did that seem reasonable? Such games of politics can easy backfire,as I said : shoot from the hip ........

[cowboy bebop]

And if it were an American company that had caused such a disaster on foreign shores do you think for a minute that the USA would give a sh!t? They sure as hell would fight tooth and nail any attempt by the UK to prosecute the offenders.

 

While I have every sympathy with the residents affected by the disaster I feel that Obama and the US in general aren't doing enough to help the situation. Trying to shoulder the blame on Britain (note: it's NOT British Petroleum, it's a global concern) won't fix things at all.

 

Who's blaming Britain, I love Britain? The overwhelming concensus points the finger at BP as a corporation. As far as the government not doing enough, people seem to say that, but what shoud Obama do? Put on the dry suit, grip a knife in their teeth and dive in? Right now the government is doing exactly what it needs to do.

 

But in the end, that's all posturing and fluff. The immediate fact of the matter is that due to this spill, Louisiana is fudged, along with their drinking water. If a hurricane comes along now that it's hurricane season, it's going to be a megadisaster. From the Louisiana coast, through Mississippi, Alabama, andthe Florida panhandle, ALL of those areas are screwed for decades. If the leak stopped today, they would be screwed for decades, but the oil is still spilling with no real solution in sight.

[Wez]

Isn't there a lot of UK pension funds tied up in BP, after all with all the record profits reported year on year for the daily rape of motorists it should be a sound investment.

[dandan]

BP is being blamed because it's BP's responsibility.. period. Same as if it would be Exxon's mess. I do happen to think that fines, imprissionment, and siezure of properties/oil rights is a the right thing to do. For what BP is repsonsible for, BP can burn. Also concerning the $75M liability cap, that figure goes out the window if the parties liable are convicted of negligence or are proven to have violated laws. Hence the criminal invesigation. Tony Hayward's not walking away from this one.

 

That investigation will hopefully drill right down into the technical cock ups and mal-practive along the way that led to this issue. I suspect all sort of shortcuts will be uncovered and those shortcuts will have been taken by BP, Transocean and the service companies actually doing the work. Depending on how much of the service companies short cuts or bad practice was covered up at the time will determine where the real blame lies. That may not be where the official blame is placed but my personal opinion is that there will be a number of contributory factors here that BP knew nothing about.

 

It's easy to take that stance when the white cliffs of Dover aren't being turned black.................... BP has not come to the table in solving this problem, and now it seems they're more concerned with capturing the oil than stopping the leak. If you're dreaming to even imply that BP should be in any way let off the hook or relaxed in this, then it's time to wake up.

 

Make no mistake - this will never be stopped properly until they have drilled at least one additional well into this one to cement it and ultimately divert all the oil elsewhere. That is the solution. A very sensible long term argument could be made for not attempting any of this capping crap, the reources and money should be better channelled into coping with the spill as it comes - capturing it as you phrase it. The only trouble with that is that the public's perception is then that nothing is being done. BP are having to attack the problem in two ways - actually try to fix it (relief wells) and also appear to be doing enough to keep the media/public/administration somewhat happy.

 

The only long term solution is to drill up to and then along side this well, break through to it and then (put simply) plug it up. Then they'll need to intercept it again well below the plug and start the flow of oil again through another complete seabed and surface setup.

 

Isn't there a lot of UK pension funds tied up in BP, after all with all the record profits reported year on year for the daily rape of motorists it should be a sound investment.

 

There certainly are.

[ivan]

Who's blaming Britain, I love Britain?

 

No, not you. That prat Obama keeps refering to BP as British Petroleum in an effort to make sure the blame falls squarely on another country despite that country always backing the USA no matter what. THAT's what p!sses me off the most.

[jagman]

http://www.kens5.com/news/Expert-25000-80000-Houston-jobs-at-risk-with-new-drilling-restrictions-95629279.html

 

Again - shooting from the hip---- "stop drilling now " Obama thinks this will be popular and make me cool,,, err not with these 80000 people !!!

[cowboy bebop]

I have to agree that I'm not for a 6 month drilling ban, but I AM for a safety standdown at some level. But as far as BP being a victim in this, I'm sorry but no. BP is failing and failiing hard. Coming up on day 50 and this is still happening with no end in sight.

 

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/homepage/STAGING/local_assets/bp_homepage/html/rov_stream.html

[dandan]

Coming up on day 50 and this is still happening with no end in sight.

 

Anyone who said that a solution would be in place within 50 days is either drastically misinformed, flat out lying or treading media water well out of their depth. Double that figure and you'd then be at a point where an end to the leak starts to seem probable. Unfortunately there simply is no quick fix....irrespective of where responsibility lies.

[cowboy bebop]

See that's where I disagree. BP rakes in $68M a day, are they saying with a straight face that they have no contingency plan for this? Sorry, but THAT is shooting from the hip and now the gulf region is paying the price for that negligence and incompitence. You have to understand how angry every one here in this area really is and they we all have family directly affected by this.

[monsween]

See that's where I disagree. BP rakes in $68M a day, are they saying with a straight face that they have no contingency plan for this? Sorry, but THAT is shooting from the hip and now the gulf region is paying the price for that negligence and incompitence. You have to understand how angry every one here in this area really is and they we all have family directly affected by this.

 

In fairness if you want to be angry (which is justified) you have to look at EVERY oil company as this is a problem that could have happened to any of them. It was BP that got unlucky.

[dandan]

See that's where I disagree. BP rakes in $68M a day, are they saying with a straight face that they have no contingency plan for this? Sorry, but THAT is shooting from the hip and now the gulf region is paying the price for that negligence and incompitence. You have to understand how angry every one here in this area really is and they we all have family directly affected by this.

 

I don't know what they are saying about it so I can't comment, sorry If they are saying anything along the lines of the only fix being a long term one then I'd say that is a good thing - they will be telling it how it is and not playing to the (arguably well justified) hype, emotion and panic. Irrespective of the knock on effects of the "disaster" then engineering and technology to rectify that situation is exactly that - engineering and technology. All the money in the world cannot create some super duper leak plugging, spill sealing, wildlife cleansing entity inside of any sensible timeframe - that just isn't the way it is.

 

What I said about timescales is my opinion based on my experience in this industry, my understanding of the problem and my knowledge of the technology available today. It's a sh!tter of a situation but we are where we are and we only have current technology to use to rectify things.

 

By the way, I have no affiliation to BP

[cowboy bebop]

The USA is looking at every oil company, hence the 6 month ban on drilling, but to be fair as well, BP's name didn't just get pulled out of a hat. It was through their direct inaction that this has gone on as long as it has. They brought this upon us and themselves, and honestly whatever outcome BP recieves from this I think your'e going to find and entire area covered ankle deep in black sludge that's completely unsympathtic.

[monsween]

This isnt just BP's issue you have BP, Transocean, service companies that all played a part in it. It could be an accumulation of errors or bad calls.

 

Until the investigation the finger has to really get pointed at everyone and not just BP as is the case now.

[cowboy bebop]

I don't know what they are saying about it so I can't comment, sorry If they are saying anything along the lines of the only fix being a long term one then I'd say that is a good thing - they will be telling it how it is and not playing to the (arguably well justified) hype, emotion and panic. Irrespective of the knock on effects of the "disaster" then engineering and technology to rectify that situation is exactly that - engineering and technology. All the money in the world cannot create some super duper leak plugging, spill sealing, wildlife cleansing entity inside of any sensible timeframe - that just isn't the way it is.

 

What I said about timescales is my opinion based on my experience in this industry, my understanding of the problem and my knowledge of the technology available today. It's a sh!tter of a situation but we are where we are and we only have current technology to use to rectify things.

 

By the way, I have no affiliation to BP

 

I understand, and I hope that everyone there can understand how helpless and angry we all feel in this. Many have the opinon as I do that if BP cap go so far as to top hat the well, then they ca go the extra mile to seal the well. It's not a far jump. But far far BP has been pulling ideas far out of their ass with no real plan in what they are goig to do to solve this. Before it was wit until June, now it's wait until August, come August it will be wait until October and so on. Meanwhile the oil keep spewing and the gulf coast keeps dying.

[cowboy bebop]

This isnt just BP's issue you have BP, Transocean, service companies that all played a part in it. It could be an accumulation of errors or bad calls.

 

Until the investigation the finger has to really get pointed at everyone and not just BP as is the case now.

 

BP's track record isn't exactly spotless, infact it's the worst in the industry. Rising above all that, f*ck finger pointing, BP has already admitted and accepted responsibility. It's time to get the job done.

[monsween]

The cap they've put on is diverting the well as you know and there is high pressure involved. It really isnt as easy as just plugging it up.

 

And yes, funneling the well and capping the well is a huge jump from this point onwards

[monsween]

BP's track record isn't exactly spotless, infact it's the worst in the industry.

 

I dont have figures for that but i do find that hard to believe if im honest

[dandan]

...... funneling the well and capping the well is a huge jump from this point onwards

 

A colossal jump.

 

BP's track record isn't exactly spotless, infact it's the worst in the industry.

 

I dont have figures for that but i do find that hard to believe if im honest

 

I do too.

[cowboy bebop]

I dont have figures for that but i do find that hard to believe if im honest

 

Apart from being responsible for the worst spill in US history, I'd say they have a history. A little light reading:

 

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bp-safety-record-0517

[cowboy bebop]

A colossal jump.

.

 

How is that "colossal jump"?? The oil is still pouring out and near as makes no differnce, at the same mind boggling rate! Here's an idea. If BP can install a tophat, let's see a plug right through the center that stops that leak.

[imi]

 

Maybe the world needs to pump some serious money & R&D into hydrogen fuel now.... not that this I think will be a wakeup call when there's still money to be made off oil.

 

Well Eric, you've certainly made me remember not to take the beaches I'm by for granted.

 

These world superpowers(Inc us) have invaded foreign countries and murdered thousands of people in order to secure oil, this time, all they care about is the PR disaster that it is......

 

As for alternative fuels, not really favourable for the powers to be as they are cashing in on what is effectively black gold.

[imi]

I liked the way Obama called BP "British petroleum"

 

Timeto cut the tail off LOL

[monsween]

How is that "colossal jump"?? The oil is still pouring out and near as makes no differnce, at the same mind boggling rate! Here's an idea. If BP can install a tophat, let's see a plug right through the center that stops that leak.

 

Your not grasping the physics of it all. The "Top Hat" is staying in place because it is not stopping the pressure it is funneling the pressure.

 

You put a cap on it and the pressure rises. If the force that the cap is exerting isnt greater than the pressure coming from the well then it becomes useless

[cowboy bebop]

These world superpowers(Inc us) have invaded foreign countries and murdered thousands of people in order to secure oil, this time, all they care about is the PR disaster that it is......

 

As for alternative fuels, not really favourable for the powers to be as they are cashing in on what is effectively black gold.

 

So what then, the gulf region deserves what it gets?