Oil Spill Timeline

[Gaspar]

Glad this wasn't a hurricane!

[Gaspar]

Another rig has been leaking since April.
http://blog.al.com/live/2010/06/another_gulf_oil_spill_well_ne.html

[nathanm]

Yes, the response to people drowning in their attics should be exactly the same as the response to an offshore oil spill. 

I can't believe you're trying to equate the two.

[Gaspar]

Yes, the response to people drowning in their attics should be exactly the same as the response to an offshore oil spill. 

I can't believe you're trying to equate the two.

You're right, it's not that important.  My bad.

[DolfanBob]

Dang. Forget about Romo. He should try for the PGA tour. Dude loves to golf.

[nathanm]

You're right, it's not that important.  My bad.

You have a way with words. Too bad it's the wrong way when you're reading them.

Obviously the oil spill is important. It does not require an immediate response, especially when immediately after the fire and sinking of Deepwater Horizon it wasn't known whether or not the BOP worked and it was not yet known that the BOP was not in proper working order before the blowout. Had the BOP been in working order, no federal cleanup response would have been necessary. Speeches were not yet needed.

I don't know what exactly it is you wish the federal government had done differently after the blowout? Perhaps you could explain?

I think we all agree that MMS' failure to execute their oversight responsibility was a significant contributing factor here, but in response to the blowout, what should they have done, given the information available at the time?

[Gaspar]

You have a way with words. Too bad it's the wrong way when you're reading them.

Obviously the oil spill is important. It does not require an immediate response, especially when immediately after the fire and sinking of Deepwater Horizon it wasn't known whether or not the BOP worked and it was not yet known that the BOP was not in proper working order before the blowout. Had the BOP been in working order, no federal cleanup response would have been necessary. Speeches were not yet needed.

I don't know what exactly it is you wish the federal government had done differently after the blowout? Perhaps you could explain?

I think we all agree that MMS' failure to execute their oversight responsibility was a significant contributing factor here, but in response to the blowout, what should they have done, given the information available at the time?

Wow! That's easy. . .

It would be a non-issue if the administration had given an immediate response and pledge of support to BP, and to the gulf states. 

Resources should have been offered to the gulf states as the landing of the spill was calculated, in the form of straw booms and top-dredging pumps (skimmer pumps). 

As the spill reached massive proportions a couple of weeks in, the fed should have mobilized support ships as fueling and lodging platforms for cleanup support crews.

Sure this is BP's fault, and they can pay for it, but we have the resources to lend a hand, or at least look like it. 

None of the blame falls on President Obama.  This was a very unfortunate disaster, however the response on our part is beyond pitiful.

Today is day 50.

The President still hasn't picked up the phone and called the president of BP to say "What more can we do to help?"  He hasn't had a single conversation with the man.

[guido911]

How bad must it be for Obama when Charlie Rangel says you are clueless:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2010/jun/8/rangel-wh-faith-bp-they-dont-have-slightest-clue/

[Townsend]

How bad must it be for Obama when Charlie Rangel says you are clueless:

And then they finished ol' Charlie:

[Conan71]

Yes, the response to people drowning in their attics should be exactly the same as the response to an offshore oil spill. 

I can't believe you're trying to equate the two.

Exactly why were people "drowining in their attics"?  Because they ignored days of warnings from the NWS and transportation devised to get them out of NOLA was not utilized properly.  I've still yet to hear anyone who characterized the Federal response to Katrina speak to what it was that President Bush's presence in the area was going to accomplish in the first few days after the massive devastation other than be a distraction to what needed to be done: rescuing people as quickly as possible.  As I recall, people were being rescued as soon as feasible.

[Conan71]

How bad must it be for Obama when Charlie Rangel says you are clueless:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2010/jun/8/rangel-wh-faith-bp-they-dont-have-slightest-clue/

Geez, even Olbermann is down on him.  I wonder if Matthews has lost that tingle in his leg.

[TheArtist]

  Dont worry, they will begin capturing more and more of the oil so that we can burn it and destroy those shorelines and businesses (and others) at a slightly more reasonable pace through global warming.   

[Conan71]

  Dont worry, they will begin capturing more and more of the oil so that we can burn it and destroy those shorelines and businesses (and others) at a slightly more reasonable pace through global warming.   

Awesome!

[nathanm]

Wow! That's easy. . .

It would be a non-issue if the administration had given an immediate response and pledge of support to BP, and to the gulf states. 

Resources should have been offered to the gulf states as the landing of the spill was calculated, in the form of straw booms and top-dredging pumps (skimmer pumps). 

As the spill reached massive proportions a couple of weeks in, the fed should have mobilized support ships as fueling and lodging platforms for cleanup support crews.

Sure this is BP's fault, and they can pay for it, but we have the resources to lend a hand, or at least look like it. 

None of the blame falls on President Obama.  This was a very unfortunate disaster, however the response on our part is beyond pitiful.

Today is day 50.

The President still hasn't picked up the phone and called the president of BP to say "What more can we do to help?"  He hasn't had a single conversation with the man.

We have been lending a hand, to the tune of about $100 million worth of it so far. BP was billed by the coast guard for sixty something million last week. There has been support from the government the entire time. Obama's administration hasn't been publicizing it well enough, obviously.

[heironymouspasparagus]

The same BP that botched the cleanup of the Exxon Valdez spill.  (As Alyeska majority partner, it was their responsibility to have plans and implement them.  They screwed that pooch big time.)

And now they have another leak going, this time on the North Slope.  But it's only a 'few' thousand barrels.


Shell offered to help.  With much more expertise than BP (yeah, from personal experience in the field.)  Even James Cameron offered the expertise of his deep water people - the ones that know robotics and deep sea stuff thoroughly.  And I guarantee, local company TDW has excellent expertise in the pipeline industry and I bet they could have come up with something way before now.

If nothing else, get one of the readily available squeeze tools and slow dramatically, if not stop, the flow.  But that might only highlight their blinding incompetence if they accepted competent help!