This oil spill really sucks

Frank from Houma

This is generally the shared opinion of knowledgeable folks in the oilfield

http://www.fox8live.com/news/local/story/BP-accident-completely-preventable/0aec_0vhr0uwJ71hLiLX5A.cspx

Jai-Bo

We've had our 1st "reported" suicide because of this spill yesterday. A charter-boat captain from Foley, Al working out of Orange Beach sot himself while his deckhands were getting ice fer the boat. Family/friends say he was severely depressed over the loss of his livelihood!!!

Long term affects are gonna be dramatic!!! :pinch:

vidalia1

This will wipe out a way of living for many people, destroy an eco system that provides food to the world and all the politicians can do is point fingers..

this may well be the saddest event in our lifetimes... :(

Gator Bait

 
I couldn't agree more Frank, it amazes me that this whole mess was allowed to happen. I try not to get political about it but that was where everything went wrong. It's not a matter of any one political party fouling up but of the entire system falling prey to it's own incompetency. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has allowed the oil industry to regulate itself for years and in the mean time has been issuing environmental waivers left and right! It has been an overlooked recipe for disaster that has been guaranteed to blow up in our face at any moment. I can only wonder where there are other short comings in our system that are out there like time bombs waiting before they too go off. The MMS has been renamed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOE) and the name change has taken effect immediately. They are even creating an all new web site for it. I guess when in doubt change it's name, give it a new paint job and hope that no one recognizes it six months down the road.
I can not help but think that there have been ways to cap the well or stop it's out flow that were not considered an option by BP. Every action BP has taken has preserved the productivity of the well. At no point in time has their oil production from this well been at risk or even threatened. Just my 2¢.

Gator

 

Frank from Houma

I'm in the business but not on the drilling side. I know enough about drilling to get myself in trouble. But all accounts seem to point to "shortcuts" taken by BP - not one but several. With or without oversight by governmental agencies, you just don't put people at risk - full stop.

I have a shortcut story that I use in safety meetings that goes something like:

> You take a shortcut and nothing happens - in fact you save 1 hour

> You repeat the shortcut and nothing happens - wow, I have saved 2 hours so far

> You do it ten times - this is great, I have saved 10 hours

> It becomes part of the process but there are risk present - part of any job is recognizing the risk and taking steps to mitigate the risk

> Then the next time taking a shortcut catches up to you

> You break a leg, lose an eye, lose your hearing, injured to extent that you can't work for several months, or even worse

> So how much time have you saved?

In the interview the a statement is made that "everyone should have the right and in fact the responsibility to stop the work" if it is unsafe to proceed and I would bet that everyone on the rig was told they that right to stop the work but didn't feel comfortable using it - that is poor management. Management must take time out to recognize people for stopping the work and doing the right thing to send the appropriate message - "Safety first, never compromise"

Sorry - I get a little carried away when it comes to incompetence - especially by people who should know better.

Desert Oasis Woman

In my 9 years as a pipeline worker and operator of the systems, I never hesitated to shut down a pump station or call someone out in the middle of the night -- despite ugly tones and words from the person(s) being awakened. My bosses never said I was wrong! And backed me 100%!

Sure p!$$ed off a few area supervisors, though :woohoo:

Ripnem

And they are all still alive to **** about it.

Desert Oasis Woman

yeah way high and dry in Wyoming