How is this oil spill not a big deal?

[NONE_too_SOFT]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

it is going to get really fucking bad, this rig is spitting something like 200k Gallons a day from the sea floor and nobody knows how to stop it. on top of that, clean up methods are getting fucked up due to increment weather, etc.

i think it is possible that this is getting down played by government hand right now. The red's finally got Obama to concede to off shore drilling, and he was just talking about how safe, and what a good idea they are a few weeks ago... just a thought.

yea the environmentalists really got to say "i told you so" early on this one.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

it is going to get really fucking bad, this rig is spitting something like 200k Gallons a day from the sea floor and nobody knows how to stop it. on top of that, clean up methods are getting fucked up due to increment weather, etc.

i think it is possible that this is getting down played by government hand right now. The red's finally got Obama to concede to off shore drilling, and he was just talking about how safe, and what a good idea they are a few weeks ago... just a thought.

NO, they know HOW to. It's about getting the equipment there to do it. That will take months [best guess]

[shmike]

Originally Posted by azoomm

NO, they know HOW to. It's about getting the equipment there to do it. That will take months [best guess]

I've heard that.

My question is why?

What could possibly take months to make that happen?

[AquaPython]

What they KNOW how to do thus far is fail with gusto. The only thing that is helping/working is the never-before-done, submerged (at the flow point), chemical dispersant.

i saw an article today saying it could take a 7 - 9 days to re-drill it.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by shmike

I've heard that.

My question is why?

What could possibly take months to make that happen?

Because it's big fucking equipment. It's probably already on it's way there - the Exxon Valdez wasn't cleaned up overnight either... This was a catestrophic accident, everything that wasn't supposed to happen - happened. A blow-out while capping a line isn't "supposed" to happen. And, the leak on the ocean floor isn't measureable. I'm not defending any of it - not in any way. But, getting shit there isn't going to be fast. A big part of it is where they need to bring the equipment from.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by azoomm

Because it's big fucking equipment. It's probably already on it's way there - the Exxon Valdez wasn't cleaned up overnight either... This was a catestrophic accident, everything that wasn't supposed to happen - happened. A blow-out while capping a line isn't "supposed" to happen. And, the leak on the ocean floor isn't measureable. I'm not defending any of it - not in any way. But, getting shit there isn't going to be fast. A big part of it is where they need to bring the equipment from.

Where are they bringing it from?

Shouldn't they have a few of these "things" staged around the world to be moved into place in case of emergency?

I'm sure this stuff is big but can they not travel faster than a few knots with the equipment?

I know you aren't defending it, I'm genuinely curious.

[EpyonXero]

Originally Posted by azoomm

NO, they know HOW to. It's about getting the equipment there to do it. That will take months [best guess]

Id say that they think they can do it but I wouldnt say they know they can.

The dome/cap idea is something theyve done in the past over smaller oil leaks when they basically put an inverted funnel over the leak, sink it in the mud and punp the oil up a pipe into a ship. The amount of pressure coming out of the well might make it impossible to sink the cap into the sea floor properly. Also, there are three separate leak locations.

The other thing I heard was to put a second cutoff valve clamp below the original one. The original emergency cutoff valve was activated but couldnt completely close the pipe.

One thing Ive learned is that deep sea equipment is very expensive and very rare. A lot of pieces are one-offs and those that arent are modified specifically to fit their applications. There arent a lot of spare lying around.

[AquaPython]

This is precisely why they need to NOT fucking drill off shore at all, but especially with new platforms in the atlantic.
At least the gulf is a giant, oxygen-starved, polluted, near-dead hole. This would a real fucking disaster if it happened in the atlantic.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

This is precisely why they need to NOT fucking drill off shore at all, but especially with new platforms in the atlantic.
At least the gulf is a giant, oxygen-starved, polluted, near-dead hole. This would a real fucking disaster if it happened in the atlantic.

Pretty much.

Yet somehow, conservatives have succeeded in portraying increased offshore drilling is "imperative to our national security and self-reliance"

It's such a joke.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Pretty much.

Yet somehow, conservatives have succeeded in portraying increased offshore drilling is "imperative to our national security and self-reliance"

It's such a joke.

I'm not sure how offshore drilling could be seen as anything else. The facts are that America requires massive amounts of oil to function and there is no viable alternative on the horizon. I would love it if some magical substance or process was able to power our vehicles, homes, and businesses while providing the necessary base for the plastics and other composites we make and use. Unfortunately that substance or process doesn't currently exist.

We are stuck with oil for the time being and depending on other countries to provide the majority of that oil certainly does nothing to promote our own self-reliance. As far as national security, we do get some of our imports from "friendly" "stable" countries. Our largest source, one of the most "stable", and probably the "friendliest" country is Canada. Mexico is also a large source, is semi-friendly, and semi-stable. Once those two are covered (accounting for around 30% of imports) the remaining top importers make up a pretty unsavory list. Voluntarily depending on them for any more of a substance that is absolutely vital to our nation than is necessary would strike me as the joke if it weren't so damn sad.