How is this oil spill not a big deal?

[azoomm]

It's more about killing off someone else's supply than "needing" to buy from one source or another.

Evan just told me they probably have ships there just getting ready - the hard part is it needs to be done with ROV's because of the depth. And, if it is how the news reports it, it's fluid leaking from the ocean floor. That means they have to build a "structure" to prevent it from leaking. It's not an everyday activity. Capping a line is done all the time. There is no line to cap...

The bummer is the rap BP will get for this - TRANSOCEAN is who did this, not BP.

[goof2]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Nobody is forcing us to buy from any given country. Would increasing Canada and Mexico's share really be so hard? And what about Brazil?

More importantly, why deplete our own resources when we don't have to? Why not keep them in reserve, and then sell them at a substantial profit 20-30 years from now when everyone else has depleted theirs?

As I understand it Canada and Mexico don't have surplus production just laying around and aren't significantly increasing production. We can't import what they don't produce. Brazil is no solution either as they are a net crude oil importer, not exporter. They do sell us around 200k barrels per day of crude which amounts to around 35% of their total exports, but that only amounts to around 2% of our total crude imports.

Why depend on some seriously flaky countries for more of a substance that has a large effect on our economic future than we absolutely have to? Your argument also depends on there being no alternative to crude oil being developed in the next 20-30 years. I hope like hell that isn't the case.

[Cutty72]

On the news they were talking about drilling a new hole to relieve the pressure. That's all I caught of it.

[Kaneman]

BP didn't even have a fucking response plan because they deemed what's happening now to be nearly impossible.

You know, I bet if I took 10 5 gallon buckets full of used motor oil out to the Ocean and the Coast Guard caught me dumping them...I'd go to jail right then and there...

[KSGregman]

Originally Posted by goof2

Your argument also depends on there being no alternative to crude oil being developed in the next 20-30 years. I hope like hell that isn't the case.

Take a long look at the State mandated, and utterly HUGE investment, China is making in alternative energy...solar...wind...bio. ALL of it....they are going to be THE next supplier of the world's energy....alternative energy. Instead of sending all of our liquidity to Saudi Arabia we'll send it to China...and then they WILL own us outright....they already finance our staggering national debt....they'll soak up our liquidity next.

I can't believe that we are going to be out innovated by the Chinese. Actually, that's not entirely accurate. We are going to send our best innovators to China as we are unable/unwilling to create conditions for them to be successful here in America.

Instead of DOING IT....we're likely to have it DONE TO US.

Again. :/

[goof2]

Originally Posted by azoomm

It's more about killing off someone else's supply than "needing" to buy from one source or another.

Evan just told me they probably have ships there just getting ready - the hard part is it needs to be done with ROV's because of the depth. And, if it is how the news reports it, it's fluid leaking from the ocean floor. That means they have to build a "structure" to prevent it from leaking. It's not an everyday activity. Capping a line is done all the time. There is no line to cap...

The bummer is the rap BP will get for this - TRANSOCEAN is who did this, not BP.

Transocean may be done. I suspect the costs of this accident are going to dwarf those of the Exxon Valdez and I'm not sure Transocean is in a position to survive them. If that is the case BP is going to be the one left holding the bag.

Even if Transocean does survive they don't have the public image to protect like BP does. If the public feels BP isn't doing enough I could see a groundswell of support for an "I'm not buying gas from them!" campaign. Transocean has no such worries since the general public is not their consumer.

[Kaneman]

BTW, this oil spill isn't getting 1/5th of the media attention and hype that the Tiger Woods' affair got.

That's right, people care more about a golfer's sex life than the destruction of their own enviornment.

[AquaPython]

Originally Posted by azoomm

The bummer is the rap BP will get for this - TRANSOCEAN is who did this, not BP.

then why did BP already vow to pay for all clean up costs?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100503...rgypollutionbp

BP takes responsibility for responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. We will clean it up," it said, vowing to consider all compensation claims "promptly" and pay them quickly if justified. Oil from beneath a BP-leased rig which exploded and overturned in the Gulf of Mexico has formed a huge slick now coming ashore on the US Gulf coast. The cost has been estimated at several billion dollars.
"BP has established a robust process to manage claims resulting from the Deepwater Horizon incident," said the statement posted on a site devoted to the official response to the disaster.
"BP will pay all necessary and appropriate clean-up costs," it said, adding that the company was "committed to pay legitimate and objectively verifiable claims for other loss and damage caused by the spill.
"This may include claims for assessment, mitigation and clean-up of spilled oil, real and property damage caused by the oil, personal injury caused by the spill, commercial losses including loss of earnings/profit and other losses as contemplated by applicable laws and regulations."
A 24-hour, seven-days-a-week claims hotline has been set up with a toll-free number, it said.
"Each claim will be assigned to an adjuster and the claim will be promptly investigated and evaluated. Larger and more complex claims may require additional investigation and documentation prior to evaluation and resolution.
"BP will pay resolved claims promptly," the company added.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by AquaPython

then why did BP already vow to pay for all clean up costs?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100503...rgypollutionbp

Public perception.

Frankly, I hope you're right about transocean going down....

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by Kaneman

BP didn't even have a fucking response plan because they deemed what's happening now to be nearly impossible.

You know, I bet if I took 10 5 gallon buckets full of used motor oil out to the Ocean and the Coast Guard caught me dumping them...I'd go to jail right then and there...

Again, not BP. They do not do their own drilling. They lease the ships and crew that company has the equipment and procedures.