Thread: I guess BP stands for "Broken Promises"

Eleven men working on the rig died!

Deep oil and gas is hard as heck to drill for and
recover. Many of my friends sat on or worked on
on and off shore rigs. They are dangerous and
the pressure to keep on drilling is astounding.
Operations like this are expensive. The folk doing
the work are on contract often many companies away
from the big $$ oil company. For BP to jump in like
they have is astounding -- lesser companies might
do a dance and place the the pressure on the contractors.
That may still happen.

I am not pleased with the news coverage. The news outlets
are not doing their homework and worse they clearly
are fomenting discontent. In another context their actions
would be inciting to riot.

Lots of folk will be impacted, lots of birds, fish, and other wildlife
yet in many cases no one can do anything because conflicting
laws, jurisdiction and regulations prohibit it. Obama cannot change
the laws either....

One of the images I saw today was a news man holding a palm size
ball of goo. The only blob of goo for miles on that bit of Florida beach.
But people are canceling holiday trips to the beaches. Folk are
canceling trips to places all along the gulf coast. I believe because
of the micro-scope that is the macro lens of the media and yes there
are problems with the economy too.

This blow out well is BAD do not get me wrong.

Originally Posted by gugi

I was wondering when this will show up on SRP


But as usual it is a lot more exciting to talk politics than policy.

Well Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh of course it is...
you meanie

Everyone likes to take advantage of things. The media are making a bundle on this. Everyone who hates Obama is just waiting to blame him for as much as they can for political advantage.

The fact is this thing happened and it's easy to monday morning quarterback the situation but really there is no answer to this, no miracles or technology save the day and folks are having a hard time accepting it.

It's just going to have to playl itself out and we'll do whatever pitiful steps we can to clean it up.

I did steel erection for some of the biggest companies in the USA. United States Steel's construction division, American Bridge, Allied Structural Steel out of MN, the second largest at one time. Many others. While safety was a concern for some more than others they bid that stuff by the ton and getting the job done for the least dollars is always the primary concern. 'Don't worry about the mule, just load the wagon' is the usual attitude towards the workers. Same in mining, oil drilling, construction, or any other job where there are potentially dangerous conditions and a bottom line to look out for. Whenever there is a disaster like in the mines recently or on the drilling platform there are hearings and publicity for a week or two and then it dies down and becomes the same old same old.

Unfortunately, imho politics and policy are inseparable. Policies, in whatever area of society--energy, education, welfare, economic growth and sustainability, environment, etc.--are all influenced and shaped by politics to such an extent that it is nearly impossible to separate the two. And political outcomes, just like policies, have both intended and unintended consequences.

Originally Posted by zib

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired of this mess in the gulf. As a Floridian, this hits home for me. I can't believe Oil companies like BP have no contingency plans for situations like this. You mean to tell me no ever brought up, "Well, What if"? I really feel sorry for the people of Louisiana. They've really been through enough, now this?

All the technology we have today, and we can't stop an oil leak. I realize it's a mile below the sea, but something must be done. The cap is obviously not working. I've heard that this has happened in Russia and they successfully sealed the well with explosives. Why isn't this an option?
Someone tell me?

I live in the oil capital of Canada and have seen first hand how oil extraction rapes the Earth. So when Rich says he is tired of this mess I know exactly what he means.

It is all about greed, pure and simple. Drill, take what you want, make
billions and don't worry about consequences until you're caught. But of course this philosophy became popular south of the 49th parallel by a popular American politician as Drill Baby Drill.....

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

10 to 1 they do go bankrupt and leave the US citizens holding the bag. Then they reorganize under a different corporate name and begin raking in the billions as if nothing ever happened.

Won't have to change their name goofball will probably bail them out like all the rest.

It's a perfect scheme. They can't "fix" it, so the gov't charges millions in fines and clean up. Gives the gov't a little play money and gives people (clean up crews) some job security. The more we can ruin, the more we can rebuild and put that money into the economy.

What confuses me is how the administration is going to get 'somebody' for criminal action. I don't know how this can happen since 1) the incident happened in international waters and 2) the head honchos aren't US citizens.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Everyone who hates Obama is just waiting to blame him for as much as they can for political advantage.

Anyone who blames Obama for the spill is an idiot. That said President Barack Obama sure has shown the world his inability or unwillingness to be a leader on this.