Gulf oil platform "accident".

[draggar]

Does anyone else think this isn't an accident?

Seriously, too many coincidences.

It was one of the newest "state of the art" platorms, we're having so much trouble capping it and getting it contained.

The US has a lot of enemies (and I'm not just talking about Al Qaeda).

[HYHYBT]

I'd need evidence before taking that idea seriously.

[draggar]

... and any evidence now is either destroyed or at the bottom of the gulf. With everyone concentrating on containing the spill and capping the wells, any evidence can easily wash away.

[smileyeagle1021]

If we want to talk conspiracy theories, I've seen gas prices go up by nearly a quarter in the last couple of weeks. It would be just as likely that the oil companies did it themselves to give them justification to jack up prices.

[draggar]

If we want to talk conspiracy theories, I've seen gas prices go up by nearly a quarter in the last couple of weeks. It would be just as likely that the oil companies did it themselves to give them justification to jack up prices.

I wouldn't count out that possibility, either.

Or, someone cut corners where they knew they shouldn't have.

[MadMike]

If we want to talk conspiracy theories, I've seen gas prices go up by nearly a quarter in the last couple of weeks. It would be just as likely that the oil companies did it themselves to give them justification to jack up prices.

I never thought of the idea of them doing intentionally. However, my first thought was, "Great, they're gonna use this as an excuse to jack up the prices again!" Because they'll do it for any reason -- an oil spill, a refinery breaking down, a bird shitting on an oil truck, a day that ends in a "y", etc.

[Hobbs]

I never thought of the idea of them doing intentionally. However, my first thought was, "Great, they're gonna use this as an excuse to jack up the prices again!" Because they'll do it for any reason -- an oil spill, a refinery breaking down, a bird shitting on an oil truck, a day that ends in a "y", etc.
I don't see a spill or a refinery break-down as an "excuse" to bring up gas prices. It's pretty much a "well-duh" that prices will go up when these things happen; market trends and all...

[HYHYBT]

Throw out entirely the idea of the oil company doing it intentionally; they lose far too much in cleanup costs, fines, lawsuits, and bad publicity for it to be worthwhile. Unless you want to claim some *other* oil company did it to sabotage the competition, in which case, again, you'd better have evidence.

[joe hx]

I **could** see environmental terrorists doing this, as the big question of whether to allow more off-shore drilling is on the table. Islamic terrorists like to brag about their work, so I doubt it's them. I think I'll go with accident.

[tabbyblack13]

I don't know if anyone else has ever studied geology and oil drilling but it can get very dangerous. The pressure that the oil is under while it is in the formation is so great that specialized equipment and technology is needed. Many oil companies require at least 6 months of specialized training after college if you are going to be working on on the pressure control during drilling. If one thing goes wrong then there is big risk of an explosion. There are a lot of potential dangers during and after drilling.

If it was eco-terrorist group then they really messed up. They have created a bigger mess by doing this.

If it was another terrorist group then someone would have claimed responsibility by now.

[protege]

If it was eco-terrorist group then they really messed up. They have created a bigger mess by doing this.

I wouldn't put it past them though--some groups really aren't about the environment at all. These idiots (and I'm being nice) would think nothing about firebombing an SUV dealership, or torching a housing development. Both have been done over the past few years, with negligible results. Think about it--all the burning did was make them look like idiots, and actually did *more* environmental damage.

If it was another terrorist group then someone would have claimed responsibility by now.

Yep, I agree with that too. If it was terrorism, someone would have claimed responsibility for it. They want to make headlines with those acts. Since nobody has made a claim, it's just an accident.

[Greenday]

Yep, I agree with that too. If it was terrorism, someone would have claimed responsibility for it. They want to make headlines with those acts. Since nobody has made a claim, it's just an accident.

I don't get this attitude. Simply because a group didn't admit to it means it couldn't have been a terrorist group? I'm not saying it was a terrorist group because in all likelihood, some instrument just malfunctioned. But why does a terrorist group HAVE to admit it was them for it to be them? Couldn't they not be completely stupid and not admit it, not making themselves a target?

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Ting being that terrorist groups want people to be afraid, by definition. In order for that to work, they need to make people know it was an act of terrorism, and when it comes to their particular brand, theirs specifically.

[Rapscallion]

If it was another terrorist group then someone would have claimed responsibility by now.

Al Quesadilla typically wait for about a month from an attack before admitting their involvement.

Rapscallion

[draggar]

Al Quesadilla typically wait for about a month from an attack before admitting their involvement.

Rapscallion

I was going to say roughly the same thing.

They even denied involvement in 9-11 (as well as their Taliban puppets).

[Dreamstalker]

Just heard on BBC Newshour that BP is now saying the rig isn't their equipment...?!

[Rapscallion]

I saw something forwarded via email - apparently it's rented from a company at a cost of a half million dollars a day. That's just for basics. For other things such as helicopter fleet and so forth, running costs are about a million dollars per day.

Rapscallion

[unholypet]

To be honest, whether it was intentional or accidental, one part of me is slightly happy it happened.

The only reason that part exists, is because my father (who has been laid off and denied jobs continually for 1 1/2 years) is getting to work on cleaning it up. He care enough about the environment to want to help, but is also making some much needed money.

I can confirm that the oil company are the ones who bid on the (insert call-in-as-needed-national-clean-up-company) that is going to work on it. Dad is one of 600 people who are certified to handle the chemical spills and repairs.

[Hobbs]

I saw something forwarded via email -

What a reliable source:rolleyes:

[Rapscallion]

I didn't say it was reliable. I said it was forwarded to me via email.

Rapscallion

[insertNameHere]

Well I had a co-op at an oil company. The engineers were so concerned about going over budget, that they would do things against company standards to keep from going over budget. Also, about it not being BPs oil rig is BS, but probably true, they do shell games just in case of situations like this they front the money to make a new company who just runs a rig or two. that way the shell company goes bankrupt but not a big impact to large corp.

My company used to lease computers to our depeartment, 6 laptops 4 desktops for something like $3000 a month. BTW, going to best buy and spending that same amount would have netted much better equipment. However that operating expense was likely for tax purposes.

[Imprl59]

I don't see it being a terrorist act. They want to kill people and create mass hysteria. All this has done is make a damn big mess. I think it will come down to either a human error or somebody cutting corners.

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100511/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill

I can't say I'm surprised at this. The three companies involved in the accident are each saying the other is at fault. :rolleyes:

[Fashion Lad!]

I don't see how this could have been on purpose. BP is losing a lot of money by letting 210,000 gallons of oil spill into the ocean. Not to mention the workers that were killed. Not to mention that social ramifications they are likely to suffer.

[LexiaFira]

rented or what not the whole thing is this, it was supposed to be a top of the line oil rig, and if it was costing half a mil a day to run rented or otherwise why not buy it (i know, i know nothing of business workings and apparently thats just too easy to do in the business world)
then why the hell not pay that little bit extra for what is needed instead of having to play this pointing fingers game later over this massive screw up.
Which yes could have been an accident could have been a malfunction etc.
But thats the thing, if it was top of the line this shouldn't have easily happened.

Doesn't matter now the damage is done, every day the spill changed shape or got worse got better got worse, and now its on our shores (Louisiana and other states) so people here are rightly pissed. And alot of people are mad at BP and what BP's name stands for. I'm not going to say BP's origins are to blame but around here....*sigh* some people think other countries should stay out of some countries business, I'm not one of them but thats what some of the arguments have come to. British Petrolium had gas stations scattered across the us as being environmentally safe waay before this happened so their name being in this is just only part of it, gah

mostly upset because alot of people have their ships out helping, - the upside they are getting money off this - but some of our main staples and wildlife are now majorly affected if not dying because of it.

[HYHYBT]

Why rent instead of buying it? Any number of reasons; there might be a law of some sort involved; you cannot buy something that is not for sale; the proceeds from operation can pay for rental, while purchase has to be done up-front, etc.

Plus this way they can point fingers when things go wrong :)

[draggar]

I don't see it being a terrorist act. They want to kill people and create mass hysteria. All this has done is make a damn big mess. I think it will come down to either a human error or somebody cutting corners.

Not all terrorists want to kill as many people as they can. Some want to make a point. I could see a group like ELF (Earth Liberation Front) doing this to get laws to swing their way.

A Venezuelan group could do it to get people to go away from BP and then back to Citgo.

An anti-UK group (it is British Petroleum), like a hard core Irish group, could do this.

Other large oil companies could have done it to draw attention away from something they're doing.

Countries like Iran or North Korea could have done this to test our response.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

The blame falls on BP. No terrorists were involved.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-05-22/60-minutes-video-of-bp-oil-rig-accident-survivor/

The 60 Minutes interview tells the story from the perspective of one of the surviving engineers and lays out BP's failures (in not letting the experts do their job as was safe to do so) leading up to the accident.

Very informative.

[Rapscallion]

And alot of people are mad at BP and what BP's name stands for. I'm not going to say BP's origins are to blame but around here....*sigh* some people think other countries should stay out of some countries business, I'm not one of them but thats what some of the arguments have come to.

Bwahahahahaha!

Sorry, but coming from anyone in the US, being told that any other country should stay out of other countries' business is hysterical.

Rapscallion

[Hobbs]

Technically, telling Brits to not operate in the Western Hemisphere is in keeping with the Monroe Doctrine.

[Fashion Lad!]

Bwahahahahaha!

Sorry, but coming from anyone in the US, being told that any other country should stay out of other countries' business is hysterical.

Rapscallion

Often times, when our country decides to stick their noses in another country's business, it's a decision made on capital hill and not on main street. Just saying...

[Boozy]

Often times, when our country decides to stick their noses in another country's business, it's a decision made on capital hill and not on main street. Just saying...

Sure, but that's because the people on Main Street don't really think about where their gas comes from.

[LexiaFira]

Bwahahahahaha!

Sorry, but coming from anyone in the US, being told that any other country should stay out of other countries' business is hysterical.

Rapscallion

agreed. i just walk away from people when it gets to that i cannot stand it.
it disgusts me that this happened and i just want the finger pointing to stop and just focus on cleanup... makes me wish i had a boat so i could help

[LexiaFira]

was discussing with hubby today, June begins hurricane season. Oil heats up the water, and hurricanes come from the ocean. So should one happen this year which i REALLY REALLY hope does not.... Oil will basically be flung everywhere across the coast. So I'm seriously wondering if this wasn't some huge conspiracy due to all the safety failures, the fact that there was short lived talk of corruption in the local offices when this happened and that some people disappeared when the proverbial shite hit the fan....the thought of was this a plan to wipe some areas off the map? or just fling some oil around

[BookstoreEscapee]

If we want to talk conspiracy theories, I've seen gas prices go up by nearly a quarter in the last couple of weeks. It would be just as likely that the oil companies did it themselves to give them justification to jack up prices.

Um, it's getting toward summer. Gas prices tend to do that in the summer.

(The fact that I live near the Shore doesn't help.)

[Fryk]

Um, it's getting toward summer. Gas prices tend to do that in the summer.

(The fact that I live near the Shore doesn't help.)

And. weirdly enough, gas where I am has gone DOWN since the accident.

[protege]

Gas here has been declining as well. Last time I checked, the local station was charging $2.69 for a gallon of 87 unleaded. That $2.69 is down from $2.78 only a few days ago. Can't complain about that one bit!

[Rine]

So, I live on the coast. Actually the president is going to be making a stop in my town on Monday.

I've been reading on the international news sites that the British are upset about the criticism BP has received. They are saying that the President is attacking them because it's a British company and that has me really confused.

You see, we on the Gulf Coast don't give a damn about which nation the company is from. (Local sites aren't even running stories about the tension between the countries; they are focusing on clean up and impact.) We just want to stupid oil cleaned up. It's already here and it's already ruining our lives. I mean, we are just finally really recovering from the hurricanes and now we have oil ruining the fish and destroying our beaches.

Now, if this was an American company that was spilling oil on British soil, wouldn't your government be up in arms and demanding that it's cleaned up?

I'm just flabbergasted...and I know we have a lot of international members so I was wondering what you were thinking about this.

[Rapscallion]

Which British are these? None I've interacted with have even said anythingalong those lines.

Rapscallion

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Specifically the British people in or otherwise involved with America who see their being British as a perfectly good thing to get indignant over and thus, cash in on.

[Rapscallion]

Bit of an odd situation to be able to cash in on.

Rapscallion

[Wingates_Hellsing]

If there's one thing I've learned from cable news it's that anyone can essentially cash in on anything with a little effort.

[LexiaFira]

wish i owned a boat and knew how to operate it....and that i could argue or debate properly without foot in mouth syndrome