Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Climate Change and Environmental Issues BP Oil Spill

Says who?

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I quite agree. Such a statement is ridiculous without a great deal of hard data and sustained research.

MSM say so. It's on TV, so it must be true! Those full page adds that BP has been taken out throughout the country also pushed their propaganda line a lot and discouraged some papers from printing the truth.

With the advent of modern hydographic technologies crude seeps/plumes and SCM blowouts have been documented in the Gulf for decades. Evidence they've existed far longer is found in the logs of early sailing ships venturing into the area.

Crude oil is a natural product and various plants, animals, and bacteria have adapted to take advantage of it. Crude oil was found on the surface in PA and elsewhere without causing catastrophic environmental effects. Quite the opposite. It was
was gathered from pools and seeps and used as everything from patent medicine to lubricant. It was increasing demand for the latter use that led to drilling to obtain more of this mystical substance.

Lets not forget oil exploration was forced to such extremes as a consequence of political pressures inhibiting exploration/exploitation in on-shore crude and shallower water settings. Now we're seeing the same politically-motivated hysteria over development of abundant shale gas resources. It might be far better to ask who/why is there such interest in denying public access to clean, efficient energy ? >Mech

Any leaks, cracks on the ocean floor, or well blow-outs are nothing compared to the oil volcano that pumped millions of crude into the Gulf. To compare the two would be like comparing a fire cracker to the atomic bomb. Also, from what I've heard from engineers working in that field, the technology is close to fail-safe. However, there is human error and sometimes just human greed and stupidity, which can cause totally preventable "accidents." Many of those working to clean up the Exxon Valdez disaster have died prematurely as a result of exposure to the oil. If interested, click on some of the links in this topic where PhD's, engineers, and scientists who are not controlled by either BP or the government report on the true nature of the environmental damage in the Gulf.

I wouldn't worry too much about further oil exploration. They've got all the oil that this country needs up in Alaska. Recently Congress passed some legislation opening up these areas. I wonder what the price of oil will rise to if we're shut off from mid-east oil (say for instance the Muslim brotherhood takes over)and we have to depend upon our own sources? From what I've heard, we've got more than enough and we'll see it when oil gets up to around somewhere between $150-$250/barrel.

BTW- do you live in the Gulf Coast region?

By the way, do you live in Alaska? Is it more okay to damage the environment in Alaska than in the Gulf?
From the size of that blowout it can also be assumed that we have all the oil this country needs in the gulf. But oil is a nasty business. I'd rather see us move beyond it before more environmental damage is done.

I've been hearing doom and gloom predictions on the catastrophic effects of offshore drilling almost since the first platform was erected. Hasn't happened.

Curious I haven't seen anyone acknowledge the Obama Administration "screwed the pooch" on Moncondo. IMO Moncondo was perceived as an opportunity, (never let a good crisis go to waste), in the Oval Office to further the Administration's "crisis" agenda. Its "experts" had no credential or experience but exercised their authority to delay contol of the well very ably. It even went to the extremes in controlling the cleanup; denying and preventing American ingenuity and inventiveness from introducing new and novel methodology.

"Any leaks, cracks on the ocean floor, or well blow-outs are nothing compared to the oil volcano that pumped millions of crude into the Gulf....."

Kinda taking in a lot of territory, ain't you ? How did you come by the information on what's happened in and under the Gulf over millinea ? >Mech

Citations to that, please.

Visit/join the Oil Drum.com. They have, (or had posted) the drilling logs from the time of the LOC. What I've stated has long been accepted fact in the oil patch community. >Mech