The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is a national nightmare that seems to have no ending. Every day new details come out that are even more shocking than what we learned the day before. The truth is that life will never be the same in the Gulf of Mexico or for those who live along the Gulf coast. Now Barack Obama has made a big Oval Office speech and has tried to convince all of us that he is in charge of the crisis. Well, perhaps if he had tried to take decisive action a month ago the American people may have rallied around him. But right now the BP/government response to this disaster remains completely and totally chaotic. Nobody seems to be able to stop the leak, and BP has made the environmental nightmare far worse by dumping over a million gallons of highly toxic dispersants into the Gulf. U.S. government officials are running around holding press conferences and waiting for BP to do something. Meanwhile oil is pouring ashore and toxic gases are being detected at very alarming levels. The biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history is also quickly becoming one of the biggest economic disasters and potentially one of the biggest public health disasters.
The truth is that the American people deserve some answers about what in the world is going on down there in the Gulf. BP does not own the Gulf of Mexico and they have no right to keep the American people from seeing what is happening. There are some very serious health and environmental questions that have been raised in the media recently, but both BP and the U.S. government are not giving us any answers.
But we need some answers. People are getting sick. Crops are dying. Wildlife is being devastated. Birds are flocking north by the thousands.
But BP and the U.S. government continue to treat us as though we are on a "need to know" basis and that what we "need to know" is not much.
Actually, much of what they have decided to tell us throughout this crisis has turned out to be lies anyway.
The truth is that it is about darn time that someone started telling it to us straight.
The following are 16 questions about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that we really need some answers to....
#1) Barack Obama has authorized the deployment of more than 17,000 National Guard members along the Gulf coast to be used "as needed" by state governors. So what are all of these National Guard troops going to be doing exactly? Are the troops going to be used to stop the oil or to control the public?
#2) Barack Obama has also announced the creation of a "Gulf recovery czar" who will be in charge of overseeing the restoration of the Gulf of Mexico region following the oil spill. So is appointing a "czar" Obama's idea of taking charge of a situation?
#4) It is being reported that 2.61 parts per million of Corexit 9500 (mixed with oil at a ratio of 1:1o) is lethal to 50% of fish exposed to it within 96 hours. That means that 1 gallon of Corexit 9500/oil mixture is capable of rendering 383,141 gallons of water highly toxic to fish. So why was BP allowed to dump 1,021,000 gallons of Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 into the Gulf of Mexico, and why aren't they being stopped from dumping another 805,000 gallons of these dispersants that they have on order into the Gulf?
#5) If these dispersants are so incredibly toxic to fish, what are they going to do to crops? What are they going to do to people?
#6) If the smell of the oil on some Gulf beaches is already so strong that it burns your nostrils, then what in the world is this oil doing to to wildlife that encounter it?
#7) Is it a bad sign that birds from the Gulf region are flocking north by the thousands?
#8) Why is BP being allowed to use private security contractors to keep the American people away from the oil cleanup sites?
#9) Why is BP openly attempting to manipulate the search results on sites like Google and Yahoo?
#10) Why has the FAA shut down the airspace above the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? What don't they want the American people to see?
#11) Senator Bill Nelson of Florida says that there are reports that there are additional ruptures in the sea floor from which oil is leaking. If there are quite a few of these additional ruptures, then how in the world does BP expect to completely stop this oil leak?
#12) Why are scientists finding concentrations of methane at up to 10,000 times normal background levels in Gulf waters?
#13) At some testing stations in the Gulf of Mexico, levels of benzene have been detected at over 3000 parts per billion, and levels of hydrogen sulfide have been detected as high as 1192 parts per billion. Considering that these levels would be highly toxic to humans, why hasn't the general public been warned?
#14) Why are so many Gulf oil spill disaster workers showing up at local hospitals complaining of a "mysterious illness"?
#15) If "70% or 80%" of the protective booms are doing absolutely nothing at all to stop the oil, then what is going to stop the millions of gallons of oil in the Gulf from eventually reaching shore?
#16) It is being reported that the deepsea oil plumes are creating huge "dead zones" where all creatures are dying as they are deprived of oxygen. If this oil spill continues to grow could the vast majority of the Gulf of Mexico become one gigantic "dead zone"?
***UPDATE***
A reader named Stacy has posted a very alarming comment regarding what is happening in her area down in Florida that we wanted to share with everyone....
We live in the navarre, florida area and in the past week almost every family we know has had vomiting and diarreha. This could just be anecdotal – maybe we just have a stomach bug circulating, but it is strange. We had a huge storm the week before it happened that blew in from the gulf so who knows.
Also, the city of destin, florida has taken it upon themselves to close the destin pass with their own purchased boom and barges. This is an elite destination and they are not waiting around for bp and their hired prison workers to clean the beaches. Apparently, the coast guard was at the meeting and told the locals that they will face criminal prosecution, but they don’t care. They are protecting their million dollar properties.
There are further burning questions not yet answered on the Deepwater Horizon debacle and they are
1.Why are flag of convenience rigs (FOC) STILL allowed to operate in the Gulf of Mexico and various other worldwide locations?.
2.Why have BP NOT been closed down on all their other rigs?.
3.Why are the Gulf of Mexico rigs NOT requird to have environmental protection plans in place?.
4.Why have Exxonmobl have been operating the Chad/Cameroon Pipeline in a legal void for 7 years?
Ignite the plume at source.Otherwise this is an ecological,enviromental & an economical disaster of great proportions.Wouldn’t be surprised if evaccuation of personell starts in a months time.It could be worse than Katrina.
I’ll tell you why:
1. Your entire nation has been hijacked by the rich and powerful a long long time ago.
They are above the law and do not answer to environmental agencies and the like.
2. Your media are owned by the same rich and powerful interests so instead of leading the charge against the negligent criminals who caused this – they are relatively silent
3. If pres. Obama was to really “take charge” of this disaster including putting those responsibile for this disaster behind bars – he’d be as dead as the Kennedy’s before long.
What are the chances (and I’m only asking) that this was sabbotage by our enemies? Or…by our own leaders in order to cover up the economic debacle, and use this as a springboard to take definitive marshall control of our nation (beginning with the South)? (If so, they picked the wrong place to start…)
What are 17,000 national guard troops going to do there, clean up oil??? Or control people??? Again, they picked the wrong place to start.
Another burning question: Why did BP use Corexit 9500 when there are natural (green) alternatives such as “oil eating microbes” readily available?
we live in the navarre, florida area and in the past week almost every family we know has had vomiting and diarreha. this could just be anecdotal – maybe we just have a stomach bug circulating, but it is strange. we had a huge storm the week before it happened that blew in from the gulf so who knows.
also, the city of destin, florida has taken it upon themselves to close the destin pass with their own purchased boom and barges. this is an elite destination and they are not waiting around for bp and their hired prison workers to clean the beaches. apparently, the coast guard was at the meeting and told the locals that they will face criminal prosecution, but they don’t care. they are protecting their million dollar properties.
Obummer has been occupying OUR White house for over 18 months. In his arrogance, he is still blaming the Bush administration for everything. Give me a break you phony!
Just some facts that might be interesting from the occult Illuminati vantage point for whatever its worth…
APRIL
Easter Week-end: Black mass/black sabbath. To mock the death of Jesus Christ, a man is sacrificed on Good Friday. On Easter Sunday, known to satanists as unholy sunday, a woman or man is sacrificed followed by three days of fasting and chanting.
April 19/20 – 25 13 day Satanic blood ritual relating to fire offered to Baal/Nimrod/Molech or Saturn/Satan. Major human sacrifice days and preparation: kidnapping, holding and ceremonial preparation of person for human sacrifice. Culminates on Beltane, May 1, a major witches’ Sabbat of the sun/pagan calender. Which was why it was chosen as day of Illuminati founding and Communist International High Feast Day.
April 19 begins this period for the Satanist’s blood sacrifices.
Other ritual coincidences?
April 20 111th Anniversary of Hitler’s birthday. Multiple of 11 and 11 human sacrifices killed on BP rig.
April 19, 1994 Waco Massacre
April 19, 1995 Oklahoma City bombing
April 19, 1999 Columbine killings
Please see the grid of the rig’s location and how it forms a pentagram.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIWMnmq2MgI&feature=related
the film KNOWING foretold the Gulf rig catastrophe in 2009, complete with the doomsday clock hitting midnight.
One neednt be religous themselves to track the fundamentalism of the Illuminati and how it is manifesting.
The real question is why is everyone complaining about Obama’s “performance?” People are more concerned with the perception of the president than with whether the hole gets plugged or now.
I hear reports that the “capped” well is leaking more than before the cap. If this is so, is the plan to just let’r gush until the relief wells are finished in 8 weeks (if then)?
What if the relief wells don’t stop the flow? What is Plan G (or H or whatever we are up to).
Watching the main stream media not report any of the real troubling details is not surprising at all. All the hard core disturbing facts that I have found are from you tube and some bloggers. No wonder they want to shut down the internet.
The reason, I believe they are sending troops down there is to evacuate the people. There are many killer chemicals in the air, as mentioned, the government has to be aware of this. My best advice to anyone down there is to get the hell out of there. To the lady from florida I guarantee you those symptoms are not from food its from all the chemicals in the gulf that have blown your way. Evacuate the area you could die. I have spent at least thirty hours reading and listening to audio of what is really coming from the sea floor and going into the air.
What a lot of people are not talking about is the potential of the coreexit 9500, which contains benzene and hydrogen sulfide, gets into the rain clouds thanks to a hurrican or the water cycle and is then carried by the trade winds across the lands of the world.
For example, imagine storm clouds carrying the chemicals across a corn field in Iowa or Nebraska. It thens rains the corexit 9500 onto the food crops and contaminate our food supplies.
The same goes for just being exposed to the rain water itself. I imagine cancer rates acroos the country are going to sky rocket in the coming years.
Another burning question is Why hasn’t the BP/CEO been jailed for corporate manslaughter,ditto for the BP Board of Directors.
Another burning question is COULD a similar incident occur, you bet your life it could.
Stacy, it is no coincidence that people in your area are falling ill, get ready for long term sickness from poisonus toxic waste been blown onshore.
Report from relative in Miami yesterday – whole neighborhood people are having lung issues and diarrhea – so bad that the entire neighborhood reeks of diarrhea – can’t get away from the smell. This person made no correlation to the disaster – but I do. ” A newer Corexit recipe dubbed the “9500 formula” contains dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, a detergent chemical that’s also found in laxatives.”
The Deepwater Horizon debacle is not isolated to BP irregularities and anomalies. The recent Prudhoe Bay Alaska Oil Spill is yet another example where BP have lied thru their teeth about the safety of the pipeline.
Please search the following story for BP faults.
WEDNESDAY 16 JUNE 2010
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EXCLUSIVE: New Documents, Employees Reveal BP’s Alaska Oilfield Plagued by Major Safety Issues
Tuesday 15 June 2010
by: Jason Leopold, t r u t h o u t | Investigative Report
Jana,
BP uses corexit because it owns the CO. that makes it so they are moving the money from one pocket to the other!
-could it be, that the synchronized media is overblowing the whole affair (latest news reporting the coast of Ireland, some 7,000km away, would also be endangered by BP oil from the Gulf of Mexico…)
-during the gulf war of 1991, massive amounts of oil ended up in the Gulf of Iran, minuscule lasting damage was reported
-could it be, that the 17,000 troops are used to disarm the population along the Gulf of Mexico under the State of Emergency, (as it was done in New Orleans) and the media is suppressing the informations..
-mayby Prez Obomba is doing “some preventive maintenance”, for being able to better control the main population, once the real facts about the culprits of the ongoing and worsening economic depression can no more be hidden…
This is an extract from the BP/BTC Pipeline
quote
Senior government officials appearing on 16th November in front of a parliamentary inquiry into BP’s beleaguered Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline admitted that BP did not inform them of major safety problems with a controversial coating. They also conceded for the first time that, contrary to assurances given to MPs in June by energy Minister Mike O’Brien, the coating system had no previous track record.
Submissions published by the inquiry show that BP ignored warnings and clear evidence that the coating would peel off the plastic exterior of the pipeline, causing widespread corrosion, oil leakage and possible catastrophic accidents. Representatives of the government’s Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) now admit that expecting the BTC pipeline to operate safely without “interventions” for its 40-year lifespan would be “remarkably optimistic”.
The parliamentary Trade and Industry Committee had summoned ECGD for a second time, to explain its £60 million support for the BTC project, following revelations in the Sunday Times of allegations of corruption, incompetence and covering up of problems with the safety coating. The Committee criticised ECGD for an over-reliance on project documents as opposed to practical site visits.
unquote
BP recent years track record stinks e.g the Texas Refinery Fire,Prudhoe Bay,Deepwater Horizon and the BTC Pipeline.Lies,deception and bull—— profit is ALL they care about
Report from my 75 year old aunt outside of Miami – A lot of her friends and people around the area age getting sick and on certain days it smells really bad. They are all very concerned with the future of the area. My aunt has a place in Ohio and she’s moving back now and not staying in Miami any longer.
We live near Hammond, LA which is some 60 miles NORTH of New Orleans, LA. For the past two to three weeks we have been having mild flu like symptoms. I hardly never get sick but cannot get ride of a runny nose and a constant headache that only goes away when I leave this area (heading North). My entire family has the same problems as well as many of our friends in the area.
My daughter-in-law is pregnant and we are all worried about the effects these chemicals are having on everybody around us!!!!!
Okay, enough seriousness about the coming ‘extinction event.”
Let’s lighten it up a little, shall we?
http://www.theamericansheeple.com/specialpublication.html
You’ll laugh all the way to your grave!
This article asks “it’s about darn time someone tells us the truth straight”. Okay here’s the truth.
A similar well gushed oil in the same Gulf of Mexico in 1979. The same methods were tried and all failed, just like BP’s. Finally after 10 months the oil company stopped the leak. But guess what? That leak was in just 200 below the ocean floor. Our leak today is 30,000 feet below the ocean floor. Our leak is connected to a deep oil canal that covers thousands of miles, all the way to Cuba, to Haiti and down to Argentina. This oil leak has PSI’s of unimaginable force. What BP and government doesn’t want to tell you is we humans just cut into the bowels of our earth and the leak will probably never stop until all our oceans are dead.
After a while a cavern will form deep under the ocean floor. An empty cavern where all the hot oil used to be. Then the earths floor will cave in on itself. Sort of like turning a black rubber glove inside out. Massive amounts of water will rush in to fill the void creating a tsumani 700 feet tall. All the methane and sulfer gases that have been stored and under pressure for millions of years will rush up and into our atmosphere. The day of this disaster will be December 21st, 2012.
Ref Joe Pizzolato comments.
If I were in your position Joe, I would move out of town for a little while.
BP were on a damage limitation exercise yesterday and caved in to Prez Obama’s demands for:
1.20billion cost account
2.100million dollars for loss of oil jobs .Peanuts to Elephants comes to mind.
Typical of BP, throw more money at the problem. The problems with BP and Exxon for that matter is they have a culture of lies,deception and bulls—- .
Quote from the British Prime Minister yesterday
quote
“BP should not be exposed to a string of future damages claims.
“BP is an important company,” he said. “It is an important company for people’s pensions, it employs thousands of people in the UK, it pays a lot of tax.
“It’s important to try to give some level of clarity and certainty so that the company can actually continue and be financially stable,” he said.
“They do need a level of certainty, and this is BP’s worry, that there won’t be claims entertained that are three or four times removed from the oil spill. This shouldn’t be about going after BP for the sake of it.”
vid Cameron the British Prime inister said
quote”
unquote
David Cameron should keep his nose out of this situation and instead make SURE a similar situation doesn’t happen in the UK.
This Deepwater Horizon will SURELY be the end of BP because the truth will come out ,unfortunately a LOT of damage to the British Economy WILL SURELY follow .
Mr Cameron, if you really DO CARE about Oil Catastrophes why don’t you do something about the Chad/Cameroon Pipeline which is a ticking timebomb.
BP Finacial stability or instability as time will reveal has been brought about by a culture of lies,deception and bull—- and NOW the British PM doesn’t want the US Authorities to seek legal redress. Mr Cameron, you are in Cuckoo Land,keep your mouth closed and sort out the British Economy.
I’ve got no idea whether BP has been negligent with their drilling operations or not. But what I do know is, that BP was drilling under US Government oversight in the Gulf of Mexico, and they should have made darn sure that BP was behaving itself.
While BP is being cast as the villain, the truth is that BP isn’t as villainous as the mainstream media, politicians and special interest groups claim.
I mean, does anyone seriously believe that BP intentionally caused the oil rig to explode, killing eleven men and releasing millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Yet the mainstream media and you’d think BP couldn’t give a stuff that over USD$11 million worth of oil is leaking into the Gulf each day. Could it really be true that BP doesn’t care that it’s losing so much money in potential profits?
Wouldn’t BP would rather have the oil flow into a tanker rather than into the sea.
Instead the US president is calling the oil spill “the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced.” And claiming that he’s going to “kick ass” – I assume he means kicking bottoms not kicking donkeys.
But, nearly two months after the rig exploded we’re yet to see exactly what government agencies have done.
The fact is that without the US government encouraging and supporting offshore exploration in this area BP may never have been able to afford to locate a rig where it did. After all, drilling thousands of metres under the sea bed is pretty expensive and risky.
Especially when the US government in the 1980s passed a law limiting the liability of offshore drillers to just USD$75 million. Which is a drop in the ocean compared to the billions the clean-up is forecast to cost.
I don’t deny that perhaps BP deserves to shoulder some of the blame. But past and the current administration is kidding us, if they think they didn’t play a part.
This is a draft copy of the BP CEO statement later today to the US Congress.More lies,more deception and more bull
====================================
Hayward testimony: We still don’t know what happenedIn a draft of his testimony tomorrow before Senate Energy and Commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations, BP President Tony Hayward will tell Congress tomorrow that the company still doesn’t know why the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank last month but that it is clear the oil industry needs better safety technology and rescue policies.
In a draft of Hayward’s testimony tomorrow before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations, which was obtained this afternoon by our colleagues at CNBC, Hayward says that when he learned that 11 men had died in the explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon, “I was personally devastated.” He says that while it is too soon to draw firm conclusions about the event and the future, two clear lessons have emerged:
• “Based on the events of April 20 and thereafter, we need to be better prepared for a subsea disaster. It is clear that our industry needs to significantly improve our ability to quickly address deep-sea accidents of this type and magnitude.”
• “Based on what happened on April 20, we now know we need better safety technology. We in the industry have long relied on the blowout preventer as the principal piece of safety equipment. Yet, on this occasion it apparently failed, with disastrous consequences. We must use this incident as a case study to avoid a similar failure in the future.”
Following is the full draft of Hayward’s opening statement:
——————————————————————————–
Chairman Stupak, Ranking Member Burgess, members of the Subcommittee. I am Tony Hayward, Chief Executive of BP plc.
The explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon and the resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico never should have happened “Ÿ and I am deeply sorry that they did. None of us yet knows why it happened. But whatever the cause, we at BP will do what we can to make certain that an incident like this does not happen again.
Since April 20, I have spent a great deal of my time in the Gulf Coast region and in the incident command center in Houston, and let there be no mistake – I understand how serious this situation is. This is a tragedy: people lost their lives; others were injured; and the Gulf Coast environment and communities are suffering. This is unacceptable, I understand that, and let me be very clear: I fully grasp the terrible reality of the situation.
When I learned that eleven men had lost their lives in the explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon, I was personally devastated. Three weeks ago, I attended a memorial service for those men, and it was a shattering moment. I want to offer my sincere condolences to their friends and families – I can only imagine their sorrow.
My sadness has only grown as the disaster continues. I want to speak directly to the people who live and work in the Gulf region: I know that this incident has profoundly impacted lives and caused turmoil, and I deeply regret that. Indeed, this is personal for us at BP. Many of our 23,000 U.S. employees live and work in the Gulf Coast region. For decades, the people of the Gulf Coast states have extended their hospitality to us and to the companies like Arco and Amoco that are now part of BP. We have always strived to be a good neighbor. We have worked to hire employees and contractors, and to buy many of our supplies, locally.
The data described throughout this testimony is accurate to the best of my knowledge as of 7am, June 16, 2010, when this testimony was prepared. The information that we have continues to develop as our response to this incident continues.
I want to acknowledge the questions that you and the public are rightly asking. How could this happen? How damaging is the spill to the environment? Why is it taking so long to stop the flow of oil and gas into the Gulf?
And questions are being asked about energy policy more broadly: Can we as a society explore for oil and gas in safer and more reliable ways? What is the appropriate regulatory framework for the industry?
We don’t yet have answers to all these important questions. But I hear the concerns, fears, frustrations – and anger – being voiced across the country. I understand it, and I know that these sentiments will continue until the leak is stopped, and until we prove through our actions that we will do the right thing. Our actions will mean more than words, and we know that, in the end, we will be judged by the quality of our response. Until this happens, no words will be satisfying.
Nonetheless, I am here today because I have a responsibility to the American people to do my best to explain what BP has done, is doing, and will do in the future to respond to this terrible incident. And while we can’t undo these tragic events, I give you my word that we will do the right thing. We will not rest until the well is under control, and we will meet all our obligations to clean up the spill and address its environmental and economic impacts.
From the moment I learned of the explosion and fire, I committed the global resources of BP to the response efforts. To be sure, neither I nor the company is perfect. But we are unwavering in our commitment to fulfill all our responsibilities. We are a strong company, and nothing is being spared. We are going to do everything in our power to address fully the economic and environmental consequences of this spill and to ensure that we use the lessons learned from this incident to make energy exploration and production safer and more reliable for everyone.
A Coordinated Effort
We have been committed to responding to these tragic events and coordinating with the federal government from the beginning. On April 21, the Administration began holding meetings and regular calls with me and other members of BP’s leadership to discuss BP’s response effort, as well as federal oversight and support.
Even before the Deepwater Horizon sank on the morning of April 22, a Unified Command structure was established, as provided by federal regulations. Currently led by the National Incident Commander, Admiral Thad Allen, the Unified Command provides a structure for BP’s work with the Coast Guard, the Minerals Management Service and Transocean, among others. We are grateful for the leadership of President Obama, members of his cabinet, the state governors and local officials.
As the scope of the unfolding disaster became more apparent, we reached out to additional scientists and engineers from our partners and competitors in the energy industry, as well as engineering firms, academia, government and the military.
Among the resources that have been made available:
Drilling and technical experts who are helping determine solutions to stopping the spill and mitigating its impact, including specialists in the areas of subsea wells, environmental science and emergency response;
Technical advice on blowout preventers, dispersant application, well construction and containment options;
Additional facilities to serve as staging areas for equipment and responders, more remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for deep underwater work, barges, support vessels and additional aircraft, as well as training and working space for the Unified Command.
Working under the umbrella of the Unified Command, BP’s team of operational and technical experts is coordinating with many federal, state, and local governmental entities and private sector organizations. These include the Departments of Interior, Homeland Security, Energy, and Defense, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFW), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), EPA, OSHA, Gulf Coast state environmental and wildlife agencies, the Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC) (an oil spill response organization), as well as numerous state, city, parish and county agencies.
Some of the best minds and the deepest expertise are being brought to bear. With the possible exception of the space program in the 1960s, it is difficult to imagine the gathering of a larger, more technically proficient team in one place in peacetime. And including BP, industry and government resources, more than 27,000 personnel are now engaged in the response in various activities such as booming, skimming, surveying, clean-up operations, wildlife protection and rehabilitation and claims support. In addition, we are helping to train and organize the more than 19,000 citizen volunteers who have come forward to offer their services. The outpouring of support from government, industry, businesses and private citizens has truly been both humbling and inspiring.
What We Are Doing
Our efforts in response to this incident are focused on two critical goals:
Successfully stopping the flow of oil; and
Minimizing the environmental and economic impacts from the oil spill.
These are without a doubt complex and challenging tasks. While we have had to overcome hurdles, we are doing everything we can to respond as quickly and effectively as we can.
From the beginning, we have been committed to a transparent response. We know the public wants as much information as possible about this unprecedented event, and we continue to do our best to provide it so the public can understand the incident and its impacts.
Subsea efforts to secure the well
Our first priority is to stop the flow of oil and secure the well.
We are currently drilling two relief wells, which we believe represents the ultimate solution to stopping the flow of oil and gas from the well. The first relief well is currently at a depth of 15,226 feet, and the second relief well is currently at 9,778 feet.
Separately, the goal has been to minimize or stop the flow of oil and gas before the relief wells are completed. From the beginning, we have implemented a multifaceted strategy, featuring a range of technological approaches. Our efforts to stop the well from the seabed included a number of interventions to the failed BOP, and the ‘top kill’ procedure. We understand the public’s frustration that these approaches did not stop the flow of oil. We, too, were disappointed.
Although we were not able to stop the well at the seabed, our efforts to contain the oil and gas have been more successful. While our first attempt with a Containment Dome was not successful due to gas hydrate formation, we learned lessons that have underpinned subsequent successes. Specifically, we first deployed a Riser Insertion Tube Tool that overcame these gas hydrate problems and captured more than 2,000 barrels per day for ten days. On June 3, we replaced this with the Lower Marine Riser Package Cap, which had increased our collection to about 15,000 barrels per day.
On Wednesday morning, we were in the early stages of increasing oil and gas collection through our next containment step, the Q4000 Direct Connect. It utilizes much of the subsea ‘top kill’ equipment and takes oil directly from the failed BOP to the Q4000 on the surface. We expect to optimize collection over the next few days to levels well above what was previously accomplished.
It is important to keep in mind that these techniques have never before been attempted 5,000 feet under water. On the seabed, we have made unprecedented use of ROVs for a variety of tasks, including working on the BOP, positioning riser cutting devices and slings, connecting hoses, positioning containment devices and providing extensive surveying and monitoring. We cannot guarantee the outcome of these operations, but we are working around the clock with the best experts from government and industry.
We continue to do more to increase our operational flexibility and collection capability. This includes securing vessels with greater processing and storage capacity, adding shuttle tankers for transporting oil, procuring spares of critical equipment, installing permanent riser systems, and replacing the containment cap with a more secure system. We will not rest with our containment efforts until the well is permanently killed. I know it feels like this all takes a long time but we are compressing operations that normally take months into days.
In addition to these containment operations, and with the approval of the Unified Command and in conjunction with the EPA, we continue injecting dispersant subsea using ROVs. Dispersant acts by separating the oil into small droplets that can break down more easily through natural processes before they reach the surface. Use of dispersant subsea reduces the amount of oil traveling to the surface, which, in turn, reduces the amount of spray dispersant required at the surface. In addition, dispersant use at the source requires approximately one quarter of the amount of dispersant that would be necessary for use on the surface. Sonar testing and aerial photographs show encouraging results.
There has been a lot of discussion about the use of dispersants. On June 4, a federal panel of experts studying this issue recommended continued use of dispersants after analyzing potential risks and benefits for the environment. The dispersant we are using – Corexit – is on the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule, which is maintained by the EPA. We will continue to work closely with the EPA to try to identify alternative dispersants and to monitor the situation closely. We will only use dispersants in ways approved by the Unified Command, supported by the EPA and other relevant agencies.
Clean up Efforts
BP is a “responsible party” under the Oil Pollution Act. This means that federal law requires BP, as one of the working interest owners of Mississippi Canyon 252, to pay to clean up the spill and to compensate for the economic and environmental impacts of the spill. Let me be clear: BP has accepted this responsibility and will fulfill this obligation. We have spent nearly $1.5 billion so far, and we will not stop until the job is done.
It is important to understand that this “responsible party” designation is distinct from an assessment of legal liability for the actions that led to the spill. Investigations into the causes of the incident are ongoing, and issues of liability will be sorted out separately when the facts are clear and all the evidence is available. The focus now is on ensuring that cleanup, and compensation for those harmed by the spill, are carried out as quickly as possible.
Our cleanup efforts are focused on two fronts: in the open water and at the shoreline.
On the water
On the open water, more than 4,200 response vessels are in use, including skimmers, storage barges, tugs, and other vessels. The Hoss barge, the world’s largest skimming vessel, has been onsite since April 25. In addition, there are 49 deepwater skimming vessels, which includes ten 210-foot MSRC Oil Responder Class Vessels, which each have the capacity to collect, separate, and store 4,000 barrels of oily water mix. To date, over 400,000 barrels of oily water mix have been recovered.
As part of our response efforts, over 2,000 “Vessels of Opportunity”, independent vessel owners throughout the Gulf Coast are using their boats in a variety of oil recovery activities, including towing and deploying booms, supporting skimming and burn operations, finding and recovering tar balls and transporting general supplies and personnel.
Also on the open water, with the Coast Guard’s approval, we are attacking the spill area with EPA-approved biodegradable dispersants, which are being applied from both planes and boats.
Actions to protect the shoreline
Near the shoreline, we are implementing oil spill response contingency plans to protect sensitive areas. According to the Coast Guard, the result is the most massive shoreline protection effort ever mounted.
To support rapid response, we have made available a total of $175 million to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, as well as $70 million to assist these states in tourism promotion efforts.
To date, we have deployed over 2.5 million feet of containment boom and over 3.0 million feet of sorbent boom in an effort to contain the spill and protect the coastal shoreline. The Department of Defense is helping to airlift boom to wherever it is currently needed across the Gulf coast.
Highly mobile, shallow draft skimmers are also staged along the coast ready to attack the oil where it approaches the shoreline.
Wildlife clean-up stations have been mobilized, and pre-impact baseline assessment and beach clean-up has been completed in many locations, Shoreline cleanup assessment teams (SCAT) are being deployed to affected areas to assess the type and quantity of oiling, so the most effective cleaning strategies can be rapidly applied
Our largest single project commitment to date is to fund the $360 million cost of six berms in the Louisiana barrier islands project. On June 7, we announced that we will make an immediate payment of $60 million to the state of Louisiana to allow the state to begin work on the project immediately. BP will make five additional $60 million payments when the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana certifies that the project has satisfied 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and then 100% completion milestones. The entire $360 million will be funded by the completion of the project.
In addition, BP is committing up to $500 million to an open research program studying the impact of the Deepwater Horizon incident, and the associated response, on the marine and shoreline environment of the Gulf of Mexico. The program will investigate the impacts of the oil, dispersed oil, and dispersant on the ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico and coastal States.
Communication, community outreach, & engaging volunteers
We are also working hard to keep the public and government officials around the country informed of what is happening. We are regularly briefing federal, state, and local officials, and we are holding town hall sessions to keep affected communities informed.
BP is also supporting volunteer efforts related to shoreline clean-up. We have partnered with existing volunteer organizations in each of the states to ensure efficient registration and deployment of volunteers to the areas where they can help most.
Untrained volunteers are not being used for any work involving contact or handling of oil, tar balls, or other hydrocarbon materials. This work is being carried out by trained personnel. In some cases, volunteers who receive more intensive training on the safe handling of hazardous materials and vessel operation for laying boom can become contract employees (Qualified Community Responders).
There are twenty-five BP community-outreach sites engaging, training, and preparing volunteers in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. A phone line has also been established for potential volunteers to register their interest in assisting the response effort.
Coping with economic impacts
We recognize that beyond the environmental impacts there are also economic impacts on many of the people who rely on the Gulf for their livelihood. BP will pay all necessary cleanup costs and all legitimate claims for other losses and damages caused by the spill.
The BP claims process is integral to our commitment to do the right thing. To date, BP has already paid out over $90 million on the more than 56,000 claims that have been submitted. While the initial focus has been on individuals, we are now moving funds on an expedited basis to business owners with nearly $16 million to be paid out this week to businesses alone.
To ensure the process is as fair and transparent as possible, an independent mediator will be appointed to provide an independent judgment in cases in which BP and a claimant are in disagreement. The mediator will be fully independent of BP, and claimants who disagree with the mediator’s judgment will retain all rights under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 either to seek reimbursement from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund or to file a claim in court.
Thirty-two walk-in claims offices are open in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. Our call center is operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We also have in place an on-line claims filing system. Nearly 700 people are assigned to handle the claims, including almost 600 experienced claims adjusters working in the impacted communities. Claim forms can be filled out in English, Spanish or Vietnamese, and Spanish and Vietnamese translators are available in many offices.
We are striving to be efficient and fair and we look for guidance to the established laws, regulations and other information provided by the US Coast Guard, which oversees the process.
We will continue adding people, offices and resources as necessary.
Investigating what happened
The question we all want answered is “What caused this tragic accident”?
A full answer to this and other questions must await the outcome of multiple investigations now underway, including a joint investigation by the Departments of Homeland Security and Interior (Marine Board) and an internal investigation by BP itself.
Our internal investigation was launched on April 21, 2010 and is being conducted by BP’s Head of Group Safety and Operations.
The investigation team’s work thus far suggests that this accident was brought about by the apparent failure of a number of processes, systems and equipment. While the team’s work is not done, it appears that there were multiple control mechanisms – procedures and equipment – in place that should have prevented this accident or reduced the impact of the spill. The investigation is focused on the following seven mechanisms:
1. The cement that seals the reservoir from the well;
2. The casing system, which seals the well bore;
3. The pressure tests to confirm the well is sealed;
4. The execution of procedures to detect and control hydrocarbons in the well, including the use of the blowout preventer (BOP) and the maintenance of that BOP;
5. The BOP Emergency Disconnect System, which can be activated by pushing a button at multiple locations on the rig;
6. The automatic closure of the BOP after its connection is lost with the rig; and;
7. Features in the BOP to allow ROVs to close the BOP and thereby seal the well at the seabed after a blowout.
I understand people want a simple answer about why this happened and who is to blame. The truth, however, is that this is a complex accident, caused by an unprecedented combination of failures. A number of companies are involved, including BP, and it is simply too early to understand the cause. There is still extensive work to do.
Lessons learned
There are events that occurred on April 20 that were not foreseen by me or BP, but which we need to address in the future as lessons learned from this terrible tragedy. With ongoing investigations into the incident and continuing efforts to secure the well, we are in the early stages of trying to learn from this incident.
But, as I see it, there are already lessons to be learned, and I wanted to share two of them with you today.
Lesson 1: Based on the events of April 20 and thereafter, we need to be better prepared for a subsea disaster. It is clear that our industry needs to significantly improve our ability to quickly address deep-sea accidents of this type and magnitude.
The industry has made significant strides in preparedness measures before, and we will do so again. Following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the industry recognized the need to enhance its capacity to address oil spills. The result was the MSRC, an independent, nonprofit company which maintains a significant inventory of vessels, equipment and trained personnel, complemented by a large contractor work force. The work of MSRC and other contractors has been central to the surface spill response efforts in the Gulf.
But based on the events of April 20 and thereafter, it is clear that this is not enough. We now need to develop a similar capability for dealing with large undersea spills. We have no doubt that others in the industry will join us in efforts to develop this capability.
Lesson 2: Based on what happened on April 20, we now know we need better safety technology. We in the industry have long relied on the blowout preventer as the principal piece of safety equipment. Yet, on this occasion it apparently failed, with disastrous consequences. We must use this incident as a case study to avoid a similar failure in the future.
Since the April 20 explosion and fire, BP has been carefully evaluating the subsea blow-out preventers used in all our drilling operations worldwide, including the testing and maintenance procedures of the drilling contractors using the devices. We will participate in industry-wide efforts to improve the safety and reliability of subsea blowout preventers and deep water drilling practices. And we will work closely with other interested parties as we do so.
Conclusion
We understand the seriousness of the situation. We know the world is watching us. No one will forget the 11 men who lost their lives in the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon. We hear and understand the concerns, frustrations, and fears that have been and will continue to be voiced. I understand that only actions and results, and not mere words, ultimately can give you the confidence you seek. We will be, and deserve to be, judged by our response.
I give my pledge as leader of BP that we will not rest until we stop this well, mitigate the environmental impact of the spill and address economic claims in a responsible manner. No resource available to this company will be spared. We and the entire industry will learn from this terrible event and emerge from it stronger, smarter and safer.
Chief Executive, BP plc
Here are some things you probably have not heard about. I have all the links to the MMS documents as well as other links, on my blog.
The MMS knew ten years ago, that sweet crude of the HI-E type ( E means emusifiable ) in a deep water blowout , was not effected by dispersants after more than 6 hours.
There have been tremors on the New Madrid fault-line, also an earthquake in Texas right after the blowout in the Gulf.
HI-E oil emulsifies with water after just 10% of the methane evaporates.
COREXIT is held in the depths by pressure until currents bring it up to shallower regions where it can diffuse and sublimate from the water. Then it can start to break down.
Oil companies make expanding sub-micron liquid plastics, foams, gels and rubbers to inject into fault-lines for a process known as ” enhanced oil recovery “. They take 6 to 9 months to work.
Coronal mass ejections ( solar flares ) cause earthquakes . Astrophysicists , geologists, and the rest of the scientists in the world know it. Geomagnetic storms in the Earth’s magnetosphere are caused by charged particles streaming from our ionosphere, which just happened to get bombarded by solar flare.
Benzene stays at ground level, it is heavier than air.
Improperly burned crude oil produces Benzene.
The Gulf has the capacity to act like what’s known as a gas diffusion electrode, due to ferromagnetic salt. There’s a reason why they call Florida ” lightning alley ”
I have much more for you.
http://mentaljudo.blogspot.com/
The BP CEO got a real good ear bashing today at the US Congress but he’ STILL got his freedom and life??!!
There is a HELL OF A LOT of talking going on and Senate Enquiries but the burning question is
COULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN and the answer is a definite YES.Even as we speak, the other operating rigs in the gulf of Mexico offer the same threats as the Deepwater Horizon.
The Chad Cameroon Pipeline offers a a GREATER THREAT BUT NO-ONE is worried at about that one because it is Africa
I live in Alabama about 1.5 hrs away from Panama City Beach and 2 hrs from Pensacola Beach. A friend of mine recently volunteered to go down and help with the clean up in the Orange Beach area. She was turned away b/c she’s not from that county. I’m sorry, just because she doesn’t live in the county doesn’t mean she’s not going to be impacted by this whole thing.
Further, last week I sent in paperwork to do volunteer work down there as well. So far, I’ve not heard anything regarding my ‘application’. What is being done down there? So far, I can’t say that anything terribly impressive has been done at all. I wonder, do you think we’ll even get a Telethon out of this?
Have watched a lot of todays Senate Hearing which the BP CEO has taken a hammering. What we need here and NOW is a LIE DETECTOR because the BP CEO is lying thru his teeth.
I really appreciate your effort in consolidating those facts. Hope people will feel relieved that Pres. Obama is already working on it, too.
Joe in JT has made the best comment. I listen to alex jones and he is totally poo pooing this event. He keeps saying that the same thing happened in seventy nine which you referenced. He’s an idiot. This has never happened and we haven’t even scratched the surface on what is going to happen. The most important part of this story is how deep this is, like you said its in the earths crust. Another important part which was mentioned is that the federal government, because of the environmentalist won’t allow us to drill in shallow water or on land. We have more oil in the dakotas than does saudi arabia by a lot. The environmentalist forced bp to go that deep. There lack of safety is unexcusable. The russians were the ones who discovered drilling this deep but they did it on land. One time they had to use a nuclear bomb to stop a leak but it was on land. What bp did under water has never been done and the consequences will be extremely dire for the whole world but at the epicenter in the south will be a death zone for the rest of time.
For some suggestions as to actions that might assist, see What to Do? on the Aesop Institute website.
There are other articles there that you might find of interest as well.
Don’t try and lay any blame on the anti-oil, alternate energy, never drill, not in my back yard, man made climate change, environmental nazi crowd. It is not their fault.
No, those evil oil companies, like BP, purposely chose mile deep waters to drill in. They should have known better! BP should have just drilled on dry land. It’s a lot safer and containing spills there, aren’t a problem.
But, you see, that’s the problem. BP isn’t allowed to drill known reserves on shore or even explore for on shore oil.
WHY? I know and you know, but what ever you do, don’t mention this to the anti-oil, alternate energy, never drill, not in my back yard, man made climate change, environmental nazi crowd. It is not their fault.
“”…Another burning question: Why did BP use Corexit 9500 when there are natural (green) alternatives such as “oil eating microbes” readily available?….”"
Go and try to find out who owns the patent on Corexit 9500…and you may have some idea…
This is another British attack on American sovereignty. The White House is part of it as all US Presidents are members of the Crown’s transatlantic Pilgrims Society. BP is a Pilgrims Society entity. The Crown speaks of “useless eaters” and its wish for global population reduction. Wiping out a large ecosystem—and once enough ocean precipitation strikes land—large land areas, from supporting the food chain, is a planned starvation. James D. Zirin, what are your comments? Lord Inge? John C. Whitehead? Sir Peter Sutherland?
That “americansheeple” link was so NOT funny!
The truth on gulf disaster from an expert inside info. do a you tube search on the following
you tube Lindsey Williams gulf oil disaster
Why are the Americans hushing up the fact that the rig was owned by an American company, Transocean?
It appears that it was low safety standards by US engineers that caused the disaster.
BP operated the in the Gulf in partnership with US companies.
British newspapers are reporting that one of “BP partners in Mississippi Canyon Block 252 is Anadarko Petroleum Corp. It has a 25 per cent stake. The firm is American and its HQ is near Houston.
Log on to the Anadarko website and you will struggle to find any reference to the Deepwater-Horizon disaster or the fact that Anadarko is directly involved.”
Anadarko is keeping a low profile while BP takes the flak.
Tony Hayward the BP CEO told the US Senate Inquiry ” I DON’T KNOW” 66 TIMES YESTERDAY
whilst he appears NOT TO KNOW he is ALSO lying thru his teeth about a number of issues including health and safety of his employees and the general public.
His performance before the US Senate was disgraceful and he is taking the piss out of the US and the World.
I would not be surprised if someone assasinates him.
I have no sympathy whatsoeve for BP and I now want to see the US Senate investigate the US Oversight Authorities (OA) because OA’s have failed their duty of care.Moreover and more importantly the OA’s are STILL failing their duty of care as we speak because the Deepwater Horizon COULD HAPPEN again.
I am SO annoyed with Exxonmobil because they are winning the PR war by putting the boot into BP and they purport to be the the best thing since slice bread.
Exxonmobil have been operating the Chad/Cameroon Pipeline (CCP)in a legal void for 7years and expected to contine the legal void on the CCP for another 40 years. There are NO OIL Spill Plans or Environmental Protection Plans the CCP has NOT been provisioned with the minimum safeguards but no-one gives a damn because it is AFRICA.
I am VERY surprised that the US SENATE didn’t mention the Newtown Creek /Brooklyn Oil Spill yesterday which is going thru the US Courts as we speak because whilst the major spill involves Exxonmobil, BP have also been cited in the litigation.
Another case of Exxonmobil disinformation??!!
Sorry – just noticed the error in my email adress.
Why are the Americans hushing up the fact that the rig was owned by an American company, Transocean?
It appears that it was low safety standards by US engineers that caused the disaster.
BP operated the in the Gulf in partnership with US companies.
British newspapers are reporting that one of “BP partners in Mississippi Canyon Block 252 is Anadarko Petroleum Corp. It has a 25 per cent stake. The firm is American and its HQ is near Houston.”
and
“Log on to the Anadarko website and you will struggle to find any reference to the Deepwater-Horizon disaster or the fact that Anadarko is directly involved.
Anadarko is keeping a low profile while BP takes the flak.”
I am of the opinion that ALL the Oil Companies operate in a similar fashion and have scant regard for health and safety and environmental protection.Yes, they ALL have EXCELLENT websites which purports THEIR projects are governed by the HIGHEST safety and environmental standards but in reality, it is ALL BULL,deceipt and misinformation and it is cheaper in the long run to fight legal battles than to COMPLY with rules and regulations. The oil compannies also benfit because such catastrophes drive up the price of oil??!!
The Deepwater Horizon case will run for YEARS to come lining the pockets of the Legal Begals.
The MOST obvious conclusion to the Deepwater Horizon case is the US Government have failed their duty of care because there IS NO REGULATIONS in the US for the Oil Industry.
Oil Companies are a LAW UNTO THEMSELVES.
I give you Exxonmobil Operated Chad/Cameroon Pipeline (CCP)which ALL THE WORLD knows has been operating in a legal void for 7 years??!!
Not only is the CCP a boondoogle and safety/environmental timebomb, the Oil Revenues are keeping the Despot President Deby in Power. The oversight authroity for the CCP is/was the World Bank HAS run away from the Project.WHY??!!
The Brooklyn Oil Spill for the past 30 years of yet another fine example of Oversight Failures and YES that is anoth Exxon Project.
As a result of this BP DEBACLE, I am sure there will be some MAJOR changes in Federal Lawsand not before time.
Apparenty , the dispersant used by BP is 4times more toxic than the oil??!!
===========================================
BP Plc and a Nalco Holding Co. unit, the maker of a chemical dispersant used to deal with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, were sued by Louisiana residents claiming the product is four times more toxic than the oil itself.
BP has been using the dispersant to break up oil and reduce harm to the coast following the April explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. The plaintiffs claim BP used the dispersant to save money “and lessen the public reaction to the oil spill” by forcing it to the bottom of the Gulf.
The lawsuit, filed today in federal court in New Orleans, is a proposed class action that would include all workers and Gulf Coast residents claiming harm from the chemical. The plaintiffs are seeking at least $5 million in actual damages and unspecified punitive damages.
“The dispersant has been sprayed over the Gulf of Mexico and has caused a toxic chemical to be a permanent part of the sea bed and food chain in the bio structure,” according to the complaint. The chemical causes “an even more dangerous condition to exist in the Gulf of Mexico than if the oil was allowed to float to the shoreline,” the residents said in the complaint.
More than 1.3 billion gallons of dispersants have been sprayed into the Gulf since April 20, according to the Deepwater Horizon Unified Command linking companies and government agencies responding to the spill.
BP has applied Nalco’s Corexit from planes and from the sea floor to help keep the worst oil spill in U.S. history from damaging wetland habitats.
230 Lawsuits
The lawsuit is one of more than 230 filed against BP over the spill in federal and state courts.
Charlie Pajor, a spokesman for Naperville, Illinois-based Nalco, declined to comment on the lawsuit. “We feel our product is safe and effective,” he said in a phone interview.
Toby Odone, a spokesman for London-based BP, declined to comment.
The case is Parker v. Nalco Co., 2:10-cv-01749, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans).
Why don’t you all American people write to Obama and Senators to demand forever to stop offshore drilling? Proof is here it cannot be done safely, and there is currently no known technology that can stop oil wells with a pressure over 70000 psi.The drilling was deeper than 4 miles below the bottom of the sea. Those pressures are beyond all current human technology.
I think this was intentional so they could pass the cap and trade. Cap and Trade is just another way for them to tax us to death.
The US Ministry of Interior Inspector General (IG)has confirmed there is evidence of widespread fraud/malfeasance by the US Oil Regulatory Authority and the IG has confirmed this in writing to the US Congress.
Why the FBI are not kicking doors down, is beyond me.
People have laughed their butts off about ‘possible designs by the rich’ to depopulate the world by some 70% +, well here it is ladies and gentlemen. depopulation of marine life, bird life, and in the end, people life. sit back and enjoy the show. it is only going to get worse. “they” (whoever the heck “they” are) are now right out in the open. they don’t even do even a little bit of subterfuge any more. it’s right in your face. I am SO glad we don’t live near the GUlf of Mexico.
Corexit95000 the dispersant chemical currently being used by BP on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is BANNED in the UK??!!
If it is true that the MMS has been together with BP in this situation from the beginning, I believe the US has no chance of litigation.
Becauee drilling was in the part of the International Waters called the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the problem actually occurred in the seabed under the water, only the International Court of Justice has jurisdiction, in terms of the Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) – through the International Seabed Authority, a UN agency based in Jamaica.
Question 17: Why has Kingston Jamaica been completely silent this far?
Has anyone tried a band-aid?
I agree it is part of their depopulation plan!
This is absolutely crazy stuff – and a nightmare is right.
This is a huge disaster – and the public is not even aware of anything that is going on.
Might be a good idea to not get fish at the markets, eh?
Obama couldnt give a hoot about anything but getting more control.
Jacob, you make a very god point about the EEZ and Jamaican connection and I would image the main reason why Jamaica has remained silent thus far, is because Uncle Sam told them to.
Health and safety is the TOP Priority for BP according to the BP CEO Mr Tony Heyward.
It is time someone from the US Government took SERIOUS issue with Mr Heyward because he is LYING thru his teeth.
Niether Heyward or the BP Board of directors give a fat rats ass for health and safety
quote from BP ref Texas City PlantThe US Chemical Safety Board said in a 2007 report that cost-cutting by the BP division led to malfunctioning equipment and overworked and undertrained employees, and that the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration failed in its investigative responsibilities. OSHA proposed a record $87 million fine against the company on Oct. 30, 2009. BPNA formally contested the citations.
“As we’ve seen from [OSHA’s] recent enforcement actions, BP still has a long way to go to ensure the safety of its employees and those of the contractors who work at its refineries,” US Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said on Mar. 23.
Solis said she hoped the refining and petrochemical industry was reminded that day to examine and improve safety systems and its corporate safety culture. “These measures should include looking at how their organizations address safety issues, the extent of management commitment and working participation in improving safety systems, the adequacy of training and maintenance, and the use of leading indicators like close calls to gauge the safety of their facilities,”
Unquote.
Heyward and his BP cronies AT the US Government are giving Lip Service to the Deepwater Horizon incident and Ernst Young have wilfully circumvented US Standards codes of practice also
“
BP claim to have ALL the relevant environmental polices and procedures in place and the most important police is the ISO 14000.
If you go to the BP website you will find confirmation that the Texas Plant which was the scene of a horrific fire in 05 killing 15 people and injuring many more is STILL not certified and I think you will find NEITH was the Deepwater Horizon rig
ERNST YOUNG have a lot to anwer for on the Deepwater Horizon because they are the BP auditors and “somewhere” there should bea paper trial for their BP audits.???