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Crudely speaking, it'll pale in comparison.
Author: Raine
Date: 04/29/2010 12:55:59
Yesterday, it was revealed that in order to protect fragile wetlands on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the United States Coast Guard began a 'controlled' burn of the leaking oil from a BP owned oil rig that has sunk to the bottom of the Gulf. We have been told that it is leaking 5,000 barrels a day, not the original 1,000 a day that was originally estimated by Deepwater Horizons (the operator of the rig) and BP. Even more unsettling is the appearance of a third leak.
In 1989 the Exxon Valdez spilled 10.8 million gallons. At 42 gallons per barrel that comes to approximately 250,000 barrels of oil. 5,000 barrels a day would take 50 days. The rig off the coast still spewing crude in the gulf has either been burning or leaking for 7 days. What does that mean? In 43 days, if not stopped, it will have spilled as much oil as the ship that destroyed Prince William sound. Doesn't seem likely, but it is. The oil may reach land much earlier than expected according to Coast Guard sources. They are deeply concerned that Friday the oil will make landfall.
So am I. The BBC is reporting: Governor Bobby Jindal has request federal aid to assist the residents of Louisiana, and I am sure other gulf states will follow.
There are already investigation as to what happened to cause this off-shore oil rig to explode. Officials are investigating why this happened in the first place. It should not have failed, and even worse, in my opinion, BP should have been prepared for a disaster of this magnitude-- but they aren't.
I'm angry at BP for lack of preparedness. It's infuriating that they are already arguing with the Coast Guard over the number of barrels that are spilling directly in the Gulf. Fortunately, we have the National Guard ready to do what it takes to get this undercontrol, but time is running out. Drilling an auxiliary well will take 2 months. Just to put this all in perspective take a look at these charts:
Who is going to pay for all of this, I wonder? The mammals, fish, shellfish, plants and birds - the entire ecosystem - are already paying for this. The economic costs both short and long term will be huge. Is it all worth the risk of expanding offshore drilling?
The likelihood that this will make the Exxon Valdez disaster look small is a reality. It's already too late it seems. So go ahead, drill baby drill, then spill here, spill now. If only the ecosystems had a choice about offshore drilling.
I'll let you get back to your regularly scheduled MSM produced outrage now: All Teabaggers and Immigrants, all the time.
and 
Raine
In 1989 the Exxon Valdez spilled 10.8 million gallons. At 42 gallons per barrel that comes to approximately 250,000 barrels of oil. 5,000 barrels a day would take 50 days. The rig off the coast still spewing crude in the gulf has either been burning or leaking for 7 days. What does that mean? In 43 days, if not stopped, it will have spilled as much oil as the ship that destroyed Prince William sound. Doesn't seem likely, but it is. The oil may reach land much earlier than expected according to Coast Guard sources. They are deeply concerned that Friday the oil will make landfall.
So am I. The BBC is reporting:
The "controlled burn" of surface oil took place in an area about 30 miles (50km) east of the Mississippi river delta, officials said.
But Mike Miller warned that burning off leaking oil was not a long-term solution at all.
"The object of this game is to shut off the flow," he said.
Engineers are believed to be working on a dome-like device to cover oil rising to the surface and pump it to container vessels but it may be weeks before this is in place.
There are already investigation as to what happened to cause this off-shore oil rig to explode. Officials are investigating why this happened in the first place.
Tony Hayward, BP chief executive officer, said learning why the blowout preventer didn't activate was a key question in the investigation.
"This is the fail-safe mechanism that clearly has failed," Hayward told the Journal.
Speaking Thursday on NBC's "Today" show, an executive for BP PLC, which operated the oil rig that exploded and sank last week, said the company would welcome help from the U.S. military.
'
"We'll take help from anyone," BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said.
I'm angry at BP for lack of preparedness. It's infuriating that they are already arguing with the Coast Guard over the number of barrels that are spilling directly in the Gulf. Fortunately, we have the National Guard ready to do what it takes to get this undercontrol, but time is running out. Drilling an auxiliary well will take 2 months. Just to put this all in perspective take a look at these charts:
Who is going to pay for all of this, I wonder? The mammals, fish, shellfish, plants and birds - the entire ecosystem - are already paying for this. The economic costs both short and long term will be huge. Is it all worth the risk of expanding offshore drilling?
The likelihood that this will make the Exxon Valdez disaster look small is a reality. It's already too late it seems. So go ahead, drill baby drill, then spill here, spill now. If only the ecosystems had a choice about offshore drilling.
I'll let you get back to your regularly scheduled MSM produced outrage now: All Teabaggers and Immigrants, all the time.
and Raine
