There is a way to fix the Gulf of Mexico. It's effective, safe over 30 years old and has been used in the same region before to combat pretty much the same issue.
The problem is that the people running this thing don't want to promote it or advance it, and its for the same reason that 100 ton box is sitting on the bottom of the of ocean unused - Profit. That's the reason they're even considering the boom, the sponges, the rags, and Kevin Costner's centrifuge thingys: They want to recover the oil.
Still, BP officials overseeing the cleanup efforts were not giving up just yet on hopes that a containment box — either the one brought there or a larger one being built — could cover the well and be used to capture the oil and funnel it to a tanker at the surface to be carted away. Officials said it would be at least Monday before a decision was made on what next step to take.
MSNBC, May 8, 2010
BP was ready to use the dispersant when they figured they could cap the well, disperse some and recover some. Then they couldn't cap it, not because the box wouldn't fit, but the way they intended to siphon off the oil still gushing didn't work out. Ice crystals. I kept trying to figure out why ice crystals in the box would make it unsuitable for covering the leak, but the crystals clogged up the removal system. Dropping a 100 tons on it, covering that with more concrete and stopping the leak - if even for a little while - became secondary to recovering the oil after all this was over. At least when the fix was only supposed to take a day or two. Or five. They tried the box a over a month ago. ITS STILL DOWN THERE.
Is it still clogged? They haven't been able to lower a few heaters? What gives?
And every method put forth so far still involves capturing the oil.
But if you watched the link, you'll see there is a way to get rid of the oil, but nobody running this thing wants to touch it. The method, used twice in the 1970s in the SAME region, by the oil industry, is proven effective, safe for the environment, might actually help the fish in the area recover faster, but won't allow oil recovery. I realize that BP is gonna need that oil revenue to foot this bill they're lawyers are charging triple fees to get them out of paying (and those legal fees), but this well is lost, so what's the hold up?
It's like a action movie where the hero won't close the doors to contain the blast and save the world, because those doors are really really expensive, and doesn't want to scuff them unless he absolutely has to.
Right about now, BP is running out options. That they've turned to fire as a possible fix shows the desperation to at least put on a good show that they are doing something. And this sludge is starting to leave that greasy feeling on the Obama administration. The magic negro the country thought they elected is looking more and more fallible every situation. I know he just got BP to promise to pony up 20 billion towards the damages, but that money's got to come from somewhere, so they might kinda need this oil.
Okay, let's be real, they'll post up the 20 billion and then roll it forward as a one time charge against their taxes, which means they pay this but no taxes for like three years, so it's like whatever. So they don't really NEED the oil, they want it real bad. It makes this PR nightmare a little more palatable. You know, that profit concept I mentioned at the beginning. I mean, its been 60 days and some people are worried is BP still gonna be able make their dividend payment, not clean up the Gulf. My quarterly profit vs. your entire livelihood. Profit can warp the mind.
I don't know if the proper people in the administration have even heard of this solution. I mean if you're BP, would you even mention it?
And that's a damn shame.
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