Gulf of Mexico oil spill

So how long does it take a coral reef to recover? Seems there's one in it's path.

Listen to this video, Were they say dispersment. It is like putting dawn dish soap on and sinking the oil.

http://video.aol.com/aolvideo/AOL News/anger-mounts-as-oil-seeps-into-gulf-wetlands/87463288001


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The rest of us get fined up to $27,500 for doing that.

Hi,

Try this one ( link assembled)

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/anger-mounts-as-oil-seeps-into-gulf-wetlands/3127569903

Oil leak

One cannot expect BP to have authority to go on shore and dictate what efforts should be used to clean up the shoreline and affected areas, one can expect them to "foot the bill" for the resources that local and Fed. Governments apply to the problem. The delay in approvals from the ACOE to build barrier sandbars is a perfect example of the difficulty a private Co. would run in to and of course the Co. would then have the reasonable grounds to deny further liability for prevention and cleanup in that affected area.
The Fed and local Govs should have immediately deployed massive manpower and resources to the coastlines to start a defence against the incoming oil.
To sit back and point fingers at BP is a political expedient way of deflecting responsibilty and of also showing the incompetence of the authorities and complainers to apply any form of rational response and solution, this is Govenrment at it's finest hour of inability to face "real" down to earth issues, there is no war here, no enemy at the gate to shoot at and drop bombs on and show how wonderful our technology is in fighting humans but it seems we cannot fight a mess of liquid washing up on a beach...what a disgraceful display of incompetence.

Florida Keys charter boat company sues BP

The Boys in the Keys aren't waiting for oil to get to them to get into the act . . .

In a federal class-action lawsuit filed against BP and six others, Key West Tiki Charters Inc. contends the perception oil from the Deepwater Horizon blowout has hit the Keys is costing the company dearly.
BY CAMMY CLARK

Captain Duck is suing British Petroleum, saying the oil company giant is responsible for his small charter boat business losing tourist customers in Key West.

Although no oil from last month's Deepwater Horizon blowout has reached the Florida Keys, Michael J. Burge, who goes by the nickname Captain Duck, said it's the ``perception'' that has cost him significant snorkeling, diving, fishing and dolphin encounter business over the past few weeks.

``People think the Exxon Valdez is in the Keys,'' Burge said Wednesday.
Burge's 3 ½-year-old company, Key West Tiki Charters Inc., filed a federal class action lawsuit Tuesday against BP America Inc., Transocean Ltd, Haliburton Energy Services and four other companies involved with the gushing oil spill more than 450 miles away in the Gulf of Mexico.

``It's the first of many lawsuits we're going to be filing in federal court in the Keys,'' said Coral Gables-based attorney Alex Alvarez.
While Key West Tiki Charters currently is the only plantiff in the lawsuit, the complaint estimates the approximate size of the class will be 1,000. Because the situation is evolving, he said he hasn't yet calculated damages.

``There are thousand of commercial fishermen and charter boat captains in the Keys and everyone will have claims because their livelihood has been attacked,'' Alvarez said.

So far, the Keys commercial fishermen have not lost business with their fishing grounds unaffected by the oil spill.

But Burge said the charter boat captains already have been affected, and just when they were trying to recover from several bad years that started with skyrocketing gas prices and was followed by the economic recession.

``So many of us had been standing on the edge of a cliff,'' Burge said. ``This oil, for some of us, is taking away the last vestige of hope to stay in business.''

Burge said he can document cancellations due to the perception of oil in the Keys, and is expecting his business will continue to suffer until the oil leak is sealed and the oil is cleaned up. Last year at this time he averaged between 20 and 30 customers a day, and now he's averaging about 10, he said.
Planning to join the lawsuit is Captain Chuck Donney, who runs charter fishing and snorkeling excursions in the Lower Keys on his 32-foot boat named Tails 2 Sails.

``I can tell you within two hours of the Today Show saying there was oil on beaches of Key West [on May 18], I had five cancellations,'' Donney said.
While the tar balls shown on NBC's Today Show proved not to be from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig leak, Donney said the damage was done.

``I've lost 13 full days for next month at roughly $850 a day,'' he said. ``People say they can't take a chance on what they see on the news. Some told me they were going to Cancun instead.''

Jodi Weinhofer, president of the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West, said her members, too, have lost business due to misperception, although it has been difficult to track.

``We're getting a huge amount of phone calls and questions asking: Is there oil on the beaches? Can you fish? Can you eat the seafood?'' she said.

``Sadly, we are being affected, but not by reality. Many people don't truly understand the geography of Florida, and that we're 450 or 470 miles away from the spill.''


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/...es-bp.html?story_link=email_msg#ixzz0pDzBlNpk

The Gulf oil spill...

Like many others I'm sure, who usually witness events of great importance from afar and from the comfort of their arm-chairs in front of their computers...

Well, I woke up this Sunday morning and whilst on my throne evacuating my "black water tank", it suddenly hit me that that the information that we've all been receiving through official channels and the general media concerning the true extent and implications of this oil spill may be tainted and should be treated with suspicion (I often have "enlightening moments" at this time of the morning).

I summarise my worries:

That the real amount of oil being released has been greatly under-estimated, which may suit both BP and the US government for various reasons. And that the general public are being "hood-winked" and/or taken for a joyous ride.

In greater detail:

1) Most media reports quoting BP and official US government sources have the oil-spill as being anywhere between 5,000 and perhaps a frightening 50,000 barrels of oil per day. By way of comparison, the Exxon Valdez reputedly released a total of 257,890 barrels of oil. Reflect on that for a moment (ie. the current Gulf oil spill may have spilled in 5 days what the Exxon Valdez did in total...or at least the same amount in 50 days).

2) Does anyone remember the Indonesian "volcanic mud spill"? Back then in May 2006, it was an Indonesian company drilling for oil and gas on the mainland of Java. Something went wrong, and instead of the drilled well spewing out oil or gas, it started spewing mud. For over 2 years, it spewed out a volume of mud equivalent in volume to 50-60 "Olympic-sized swimming pools" per day (an "Olympic-sized swimming pool" is required to be at least 50m long x 25m wide x 2m depth, and 50 such swimming pools are the equivalent of 786,226 barrels per day). An oil/gas drilling expedition that went wrong, resulting in thousands of families being displaced, but at least it was only mud and not crude oil...?!

3) I'm certainly no geogolist. But if (as most authorities and the geologist / scientific community now acknowledge) that Java mud spill was spewing out the equivalent of 786,226 barrels per day of mud from a poorly-drilled bore hole on dry land, then all the (invariably low) estimates of the current Gulf oil spill, even of the 50,000 barrels per day claims become suspect. According to some estimates, BP only expected recoverable reserves of 50 million barrels of oil from the Macando or Mississipi Canyon Block 252 concession. So if the rate of the oil spill is truly nearer 786,226 barrels per day than whatever has been announced to date, that would mean that it would take a mere 63 days before the oil runs out...?!

It would not surprise me (more probably my descendents - unless I live to be 90) to know one day (ca. 2050 or whenever) that the Federal government was fully aware of the true extent of this oil spill but decided not to acknowledge it's implications immediately for whatever (national security) reasons (or more probably to avoid even greater political embarrasement).

Everyone's hitting on BP right now. And that has implications for UK national security. 1/6th of all assets held by UK pension funds are supposedly invested in BP. Casus belli anyone...?!

'CRUDE' oil, an absolute must see video presentation

Might be an interesting time to revisit this subject thread. I tried to add to it, but found it had been closed.

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/yachtforums-yacht-club/8587-crude-oil-absolute-must-see-program.html

So I'm guessing the old tyres and used golfballs aren't working to the full power hoped for then?

What! Added mud isn't the magic cure-all?

I think the EPA wants to call on one of my old Owners from Boston, he managed to block every pipeline on the boat in 2 days.

If they used a clay slurry maybe it would be similar to a Boston diet?

Anybody have any idea how much oil is down there and how many years it could pump until empty since we seem to be heading for the worst case scenario? Anybody still think the oil companies shouldn't face stiff regulation or be nationalized or should we wait until the price for this hits the pumps and then just say 'woe is me' and assume they have our best interests at heart when gas hits $100 a gallon?

OIL Spill

Sure, let's nationalize the oil Co's, the Gas Co's and and any other energy producing outfit, then it will so efficient we will never have to work again.
The price will go to 10.00 a gallon and the Government will solve all our problems.

Burn me once shame on you. Burn me a thousand times....

oil spill

I suggest you need the fire department...

You obviously have not been paying much attention to earlier posts, including my own:

(Apologies to everyone else who were following this thread and were hereby subjected to a renewed attack...)

BTW, I really do believe that the US government's response to the "BP oil spill", at least concerning their recent emphasis and vehemence in concentrating on BP's role (whilst conveniently more or less ignoring the roles of Halliburton and the Swiss holding company operating the Deepwater Horizon rig - stuffed full of US-citizens, a company whose operations are undoubtedly managed by Americans, in the USA on a day-to-day basis, but under the protection of conducting these operations from an offshore tax-haven...).

According to the latest BBC report concerning BP's share price, BP's share price has suffered a drop of 17% since March 2009 (and the commencement of the recent oil-spill). There can be no clearer case of casus belli. The USA is currently going after BP, a company in which 20% of all UK pension assets are invested and according to the BBC's Peston, 8% of all pension income going into these pension funds...

If that doesn't provide sufficient justification for the UK MOD to immediately issue sailing instructions to her fleet of aircraft carrier/s and assault ship/s (sic, do we have more than 1 aircraft carrier...?!), sailing west and engaging all-comers, what will...?!

Thanks very much USA. For ensuring that BP gets hit with the brunt of this latest US public relations / environmental disaster / US government stunt*. Whilst "your own folk" including Dick Cheney go unquestionned concerning this and all manner of previous "US government stunts", whether or not related to Halliburton or any other company serving US interests situated in offshore tax-havens....?!

Of course, the real losers out of all this, are not those who regularly fish the gulf for shrimp and other marine wildlife, those who live on the beaches being affected, those who own or operate fish-boats, or even those who operate yacht charters etc. At some stage, at least they'll be able to look forward to some compensation...

No, the real losers are all the marine life in the gulf who are affected. BP, Halliburton, Deepwater, the US government will never be able "to compensate" all the creatures which have suffered as a result. Their real physical suffering will go uncompensated, as always...?!

How about if all gulf fishermen (and all the others who hitherto earned a more or less generous living) from the use of reasonably unpolluted gulf waters got together and insisted on (and in addition to...) their current / future lawsuits for compensation against whomever, that there should also be a moratoriam of say 10 years, before any further commercial activities resume in the gulf...? Fair for all the marine life, fair for the fishermen and other commercial gulf users (if they can get it) and perhaps a precedent, so that life in general (when not human-beings) are also considered...?!

Unless of course, you see the UK's invasion task-force approaching the east coast of the USA anytime soon, in defense and retaliation of the USA's aggression towards BP, the UK and her people with occupational pension schemes (less than 30% remaining I'm informed)...

Oil Spill

I believe BP will use the 75 million max liability clause as approved by the US Govenrment who now wants to change the rules during the game.

BP has already paid out more than that so I would be surprised if lawsuits or Government fines would gain much traction. Support of BP's attempts to minimize the impact might be a better approach rather than making sure that the Company gets virtually forced into bankruptcy thereby increasing pain for shareholders and other pension funds etc.

It was an accident maybe preventable but not intentional.

Don't like the US much, eh? As for good old Dick Cheny & Haliburton do what you will. They wouldn't be missed by the average US citizen. We will however miss the animals & fish. BP is not a US corp. The "accident" was not intentional, but it was recklessly caused in the quest for profit. As for "all gulf fishermen [/I](and all the others who hitherto earned a more or less generous living)", obviously you've never worked the waters. It's long, hard work for very little money. As for the UK pensions, the little guy is getting hit from every side. My retirement income went down the tubes many months ago. So now it's BP's investors. Welcome to the club. I doubt we'll be seeing the British Navy invading our shores any time soon unless it so we can show them our hospitality during fleet week.

Oil spill

So, for those who lost their retirement or most of it, join the club of those who are BP shareholders and pensioners who now may also lose their savings because some want to be "punitive" or revengeful to BP. Interesting philosophy. Some perspective may help.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_060110/content/01125118.Par.4584.ImageFile.jpg

Nothing punitive or vengful about it. I pay for my mistakes and screwups as most of us do. Nobody limits my liability and our government even did its best under the last administration to eliminate our access to bankruptcy so our liabilities could be carried on to our children. Why should it be different for a company that makes huge profits. Oh that's right, I don't have lobyists on my payroll to wine and dine the rule makers.

Volunteer ARMY, not military 'save me'

I've just go to get this off my chest.

I AM SO SICK of hearing this crap about getting the military involved in this operation, as if they could accomplish the intricacies of this deep water project. What I'm really incensed at is this general feeling by much of the American public (and some of the news people) that the military can solve all of our nation's problems from the range of immigration subjects thru and including this oil disaster.

WAKE up Americans, where is our 'get involved', join together' attitude that have served us well in the past. The clean-up portion of this job will require LOTS of hands, particularly now that the dispersant's have spread this mess out to such a great extent. Very likely there will be a lot of beach and marsh ares involved. Lets get LOTS of volunteer Americans involved with helping protect their zones. I'm sure there are many folks that will volunteer...and given just some basic tools can make quite a difference.

Sure its not a cure all, but an 'Army' of volunteers could make more of a difference than the Army itself...besides those military guys are already hard at work protecting us in a manner that none of the home bound volunteers could do.

Lets all pitch in to save our GULF

My dear NYCAP123,

Actually, I find most Americans that I come across in my daily life here to be really great individuals. Obviously they tend to be the crew / rarely owners of large yachts in general, and I wish we had more Americans crewing on large yachts here which was the case say, 10 years ago compared to today, when we are subjected to the hordes of horrendous sheep-lovers and intravenious consumers of Castlemain XXXX lager from Australasia...?! That most Americans do not possess a passport, and have never travelled overseas (or probably wished to), may have some small impact on my narrow objectivety...?

However, I do take issue with your comment:

BP's shares are traded on the NYSE, fulfilling all of the obligations subjected to any US corporation whose shares are also traded there. You readily use the terms "reckless" and "in the quest for profit" in the same sentence. So far as I understand the situation, BP (and everyone else involved in current and past oil exploration / drilling / production activities within US waters) was granted permission to do so by the relevant US authorities. I believe that President Obama was right to recently question the responsibility of the US authorities concerned (heads have already rolled I understand), that they may not have been doing their jobs...?

For example, whilst the exploration and drilling of "deep-wells" may be relatively new to the gulf of Mexico, the US authorities appeared to accept (all oil companies granted concessions there, not just BP's) assurances that the facilities the oil companies "had in place or could be applied rapidly" would be able to cope adequately with just such a scenario as occured most recently within BP's Macando or Mississipi Canyon Block 252 concession. Did the US authorities ever ask the oil industry generally operating in the gulf or other US waters (or even BP), "to prove and/or demonstrate satisfactorily" that the blow-out preventers, or other emergency well-head capping and oil-spill measures acceptable for oil exploitation in shallower waters would also work at the depths currently being exploited...?

Well, I would just say that "the US government and their agencies responsable for supervising the oil industry" have at least as much blame for the current crisis because of their shoddy (if not outrightly corrupt practices), as the oil companies themselves (BP included).

Having said all that and done what I could in my small way to bring some attenuating circumstances to everyone's attention, BP does have a serious problem. BP (and Tony Hayward), if you're going to f*** around drilling ever-deeper oil-wells, for f***' sake, ensure that you've got "tried and tested" technology for all the f***-ups that might result. Don't rely on the dumb-f***s who work for the US Federal government agencies (or any other government's authorities wherever else) OK? Got my message? Then F***-OFF! And good luck!

One last aside, (not really sure how it fits) but brian eiland raised the issue of everyone coming together in order to save the Gulf (perhaps putting personal differences aside?), and not relying on the US military etc. as if they could offer a miraculous solution somehow...? Or perhaps it was NYCAP123's suggestion / accusation that I'm somehow "anti-American"? We might all agree that "extreme measures are warranted" when going after the perpetrators of 9/11, and that is how these operations are often conducted in Afghanistan :

However, this "founder-member of Al-Qaeda, current no. 3 of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan", hopefully now-deceased, was apparently executed by means of a drone-launched missile. And the same attack also resulted in the deaths of :

. That is the sort of "justice" that the USA is apparently content to dispense nowadays.

So what hope for BP today?! And the UK, where 20% of all UK pension investments are currently invested in BP Plc? BP provides 8% of all the dividend income contributing to private pension payouts in UK today...?! Better get your act together USA, or we'll ask the French if they'll lend us their Charles de Gaulle and Rafales for a sortie in your Gulf - we Brits have 2x (non-nuclear powered based copies of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft-carriers currently under construction in UK shipyards) which are to be equipped with the USA-produced JSF35 (variant for carriers) when (or if) it eventually flies...?! President Sarkozy of France (or so I'm informed), has given his full backing to sending the Charles de Gaulle over to the Gulf in support of a fully-fledged "joint UK-French task-force" with a view to using "quiet and overwhelming military supremacy" to support current diplomatic efforts...?! I think President Sarkozy would like Louisiana back...if that's OK?