Whilst I agree that our 'addiction' to oil, our greed and general overconsumption
and demands for cheaper petrol did contribute to the problems in the Gulf, BP ignored safety procedures, warnings from their own workers etc, and put profits before safety. Unfortunately we can't sue the human race for contributory negligence, and sadly BP were negligent in the eyes of the law.

They have to pay. They do have the money. It's pretty much tough shit for them.

Perhaps though, this incident will bring the 'drill baby, drill' element to their senses - but I rather suspect it wont. They are already blaming environmentalists for not letting them drill in shallower waters.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:10, 1 reply)

Horseshit.
While I have to be fairly careful as I have a specific edict from my ultimate boss that no-one from my group is allowed to discuss this in public locations* on pain of disciplinary action, BP didn't ignore anything, and I very strongly suspect that the US is about to discover to its cost that BP were not in the slightest bit negligent in the eyes of the law. US regulations for deepwater drilling are weak, Obama knows that, or be wouldn't be tubthumping like an enormous cock.

In any case, it's not a BP rig. Or BP regulations. Or BP workforce. Or BP work practices. But that's OK, BP are nasty bit multinational, so let's blame them.

*poorly phrased, it's the press we are prohibited from talking to, but you know what I mean
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:19, closed)

Interesting. I've heard differently, both from environmentalists and BP employees - but then I think sources on both sides are very biased.
Information that is completely independent is pretty much impossible to find. I'll wait to see what happens and bear your comments in mind.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:21, closed)

I heard from a deep drilling oil expert on radio 4 that from what we know it looks likely that this could never have happened in the UK because our regulations are much tougher.
Plus. I'd deep drill you any day lovely and you wouldn't be gushing oil etc.
( TFD is sporting this season's finest necropants, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:25, closed)

That's exactly it.
UK/EU deepwater drilling requires specifically several extra *mumblemumbleshouldn'ttalkaboutthis* and, yeah, the same rig blowout wouldn't have resulted in a leak here.

But we are very, very cautious about deepwater drilling here. It's very very very high risk and the only reason the US do it is because of their insatiable desire for a self-sustaining oil supply so they are never at the mercy of the middle east.

You could argue that BP should have forced the drilling company to meet UK regs rather than US ones, but the company would have refused and someone else other than BP would overseen the operation. Maybe that's a bit morally grey, but it's not breaking regulations.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:32, closed)

As I said, I'd love for this to have a knock on effect and make the US take environmental issues seriously, but it wont.
They'll just drill in protected areas because it's 'safer'. Then complain when their eco system is utterly fucked.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:48, closed)

I think it's important to bear in mind the difference between what's morally right and legally right.
BP will have to bear the cost of the clean up. As the company overseeing the operation it is their obligation. They will also compensate, because the cost to them is tiny compared to the PR loss of not doing it. But (to the best of my knowledge) they didn't break US deepwater drilling regs so they can't possibly be charged with any negligence. You will always get bitter ex-employees saying they did of course. And maybe they did, but all the info I've seen suggests not. And yes, both sides are very biased.

But I think if there really was a chance of a succesful prosecuation, Obama wouldn't be shouting so loudly. And really, on the kilospoons irony scale, the US government should take a fucking big look into it's own house and think long and hard about how hard they fought to get Union Carbide off the hook over Bhopal, because, "hey, it's only dirty ragheads, right?"
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:28, closed)

This last bit x100000

( TFD is sporting this season's finest necropants, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:34, closed)

Thirded.
I have been saying this.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:36, closed)

8,000 people died at Bhopal.
eight thousand. After all these years the families recieved compensation of about £900 each, and no US employee has ever gone to trial, and it was widely accepted as negligence. Deepwater horizon is a tragedy, but it needs to be put in perspective.

(my favourite perspective stat is that Exxon Valdise killed, at best estimates, 250,000 birds. That's the same number that are killed by cats in the UK every couple of days)
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 12:38, closed)

To put it into perspective
More oil is spilled every year in Nigeria than has been lost in the Mexican gulf - www.theroot.com/buzz/nigeria-s-agony-dwarfs-gulf-oil-spill

but no-one gives a fuck because, well, it's Nigeria
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 14:16, closed)

that very much, too.
that would have been my next rant, but hey, one's enough for a monday.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 17:18, closed)