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For example, blowoff preventers are now only suggested, they are not mandatory. Perhaps it is time to rethink that, wouldn't you say?
Still trying to digest some of this myself so the following may not be entirely accurate....but my understanding is the BOP is standard on any well. This has a few hydraulic rams that sever the pipe shutting off the flow of oil. In addtion to preventing the oil spill it could have prevented the explosion itself if activated soon enough. There's a "panic" switch on the rig that can be activated by the drillers such as if they realized there was major problem like they had . In the worse case scenario where no one can hit the switch there is dead man switch on the BOP itself, this is what should have cut the flow of oil off.
Again haven't really reviewed it enough to speak with authority but the piece of equipment being reported in the media that isn't mandatory would be an additional backup to the dead man switch that would allow you remotely activate it.
ANWAR represents about a 2 year supply of oil, meanwhile after the drop in the price per barrel, guess what? Even oil companies weren't into Drill Baby Drill!
Across the country, energy companies are quickly cutting their exploration efforts. On Tuesday, oil fell to $46.85 a bbl., its lowest price in 3 1/2 years, down significantly from the $140 it traded for this past July.
At the current rate of 42,000 gallons of oil per day, the leak would have to continue for 262 days to match the 11 million gallon spill from the Exxon Valdez in 1989, the worst oil spill in United States history.
Still trying to digest some of this myself so the following may not be entirely accurate....but my understanding is the BOP is standard on any well. This has a few hydraulic rams that sever the pipe shutting off the flow of oil. In addtion to preventing the oil spill it could have prevented the explosion itself if activated soon enough. There's a "panic" switch on the rig that can be activated by the drillers such as if they realized there was major problem like they had . In the worse case scenario where no one can hit the switch there is dead man switch on the BOP itself, this is what should have cut the flow of oil off.
Again haven't really reviewed it enough to speak with authority but the piece of equipment being reported in the media that isn't mandatory would be an additional backup to the dead man switch that would allow you remotely activate it.
You are close.....most applies to wells on land as well. The problems encountered with a uncontrolled hole are magnified to a degree almost unbelievable when 5,000 feet under water. May not be a flame to fight , but the spewing of crude at the rate reported ( much more than they let on at the start), has happened before , on land . The whole issue,aside from personal safety, is containment. there are many ways to control this however , it always takes a catastrophic event to get them implemented. Triple hulled tankers are a good example.
BP may become the whipping post , it is there turn,they have been living on borrowed time, as all the oil interest have been. In the end , it will be the People that pay, along with the wildlife , for that BP along with the others must be held accountable big time.
BP may become the whipping post , it is there turn,they have been living on borrowed time, as all the oil interest have been. In the end , it will be the People that pay, along with the wildlife , for that BP along with the others must be held accountable big time.
The term is "whipping boy" and the implication is that someone else takes the punishment deserved by the perpetrator. In this case it's a very poor analogy. BP has a history of "accidents" that have as a root cause, corner cutting to save money and boost profits.
The term is "whipping boy" and the implication is that someone else takes the punishment deserved by the perpetrator. In this case it's a very poor analogy. BP has a history of "accidents" that have as a root cause, corner cutting to save money and boost profits.
I guess you are talking about treble damages ? That BP is the only Oil Company taking risks with the enviorement ? Not so, and same applies to the Coal mines in WVA..... yes some are worse than others ,BP may be a bad actor , but not addressing the whole problem,the industry , the concupiscence, is a fools choice. next time , it could be another Oil rig, owned by another Corporation...do you know how many rigs are in the Gulf.? Big Business has proven that the Regan theory of trickle down ,does not work when you give the Industry's free rein to police themselves.
Nothing is TOTALLY safe. That's like saying "never get married" because you might divorce. We can't afford not to drill for oil, waiting on fool proof tech. Make the best improvements you can and move on.
The problem is: Not only don't we have the technology to ensure safe offshore drilling, we don't have the technology to minimize or clean up after a disaster.
The term is "whipping boy" and the implication is that someone else takes the punishment deserved by the perpetrator. In this case it's a very poor analogy. BP has a history of "accidents" that have as a root cause, corner cutting to save money and boost profits.
Ultimately, it does not matter to any company drilling oil or any other thing. In this case it is BP and oil drilling, could well have been any of them. No matter what the cost is of this accident, it will become a cost of doing business. Like it or not, the cost of doing business is passed on to the consumers. So, ultimately, we will be paying for this accident. I am not saying that is wrong or right, that is just the way it is.
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