Remember those oil rigs that President Barack Obama assured the public do not cause spills in opening up the East Coast to drilling? Another one appears to be leaking. The Ocean Saratoga is not far from the Deepwater Horizon and it has not been disclosed how serious the ongoing leak is.
Despite the unprecedented disaster caused by the BP spill and this ongoing leak, the White House has still not agreed to keep the long-standing moratorium on such drilling. Rather, he has only promised to freeze new drilling while new safety measures are studied. In the meantime, members are demanding immediate resumption of drilling.
Federal officials have declined to comment on the new leak, which was reported by Skytruth on May 15. In a May 17 press conference, U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Mary Landry said that she was unaware there was another drilling rig leaking oil in the Gulf.
The rig is owned by Diamond Offshore and the well owner is Taylor Energy Co.. Both companies refused comment.
For the full story, click here.
Hey…I was thinking maybe with all those oil rigs drilling out there, that the seafloor is being weakened and stress cracks are forming from the pressures way under the seafloor. I have been reading about multiple fissures and oil plumes in different areas of the gulf. Maybe there is too much drilling out there.
It doesn’t look very good. I wouldn’t be surprised that the toxicity of rainfall in the gulf has increased, both from the type of crude oil that is leaking, the gases, hydrogensulfide, benzenes and other compounds plus the corexite5500.
steve
http://Www.KansasCityComputers.Com
BP’s Rig Missed 16 Inspections Before Explosion
Lauren Frayer Contributor
AOL News
(June 12) — The BP rig that sparked America’s biggest oil spill in history missed 16 required inspections in the years leading up to the deadly April explosion that killed 11 workers and sent crude gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.
That’s according to newly released government inspection reports that show the Deepwater Horizon rig was only surveyed six times in 2008, even though the government requires drilling rigs to be inspected every month. In total, it missed 16 checks since January 2005.
http://www.aolnews.com/gulf-oil-spill/article/bps-rig-missed-16-inspections-before-explosion-and-spill-in-gulf-of-mexico/19513678
I second that. What rafflaw just said and also, lottakatz, that gomr map is excellent and frightening…how long have those pipelines been there anyway???? I sure don’t remember hearing about them in the current ongoing conversation amongst the political PsTB. How many sucking straws do you think before the entire ocean floor substrate is undermined beyond redemption? Or maybe that question is way too late in the asking….
All of these wells should be shut down for good. Our environment is too precious to allow these corporate felons to continue to assault the Gulf.
From yesterday:
“There is a NOOA map in this Wikipedia article showing 3,858 oil and gas platforms extant in the Gulf of Mexico in 2006. That doesn’t include exploratory wells drilled and capped for further exploitation, as I read the article.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_platform
This is a small map but telling.
—
This is an outstanding map from MMS:
http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/lsesale/visual1.pdf
I still believe these rigs are a national security issue. If any foreign group decided to dispose of them, other than nuking them, we do not have a fast way to fix them it appears. Look up how many of those rigs we have out there.
All of this points to the insanity of our “energy” policy, at least if you’re trying to create energy to meet people’s need, not do other things, like increase your empire and profit off wars, etc. The money spent on this one disaster could have paid for alternative energy projects that would bring actual clean, mush safer energy to our nation. Instead of killing life in the ocean, ruining people’s livelihoods and causing damage we don’t even yet fully understand, we could have revived our economy with high paying jobs, helped to ameliorate climate change and started to clean up the mess we have made on the planet. If anyone tries to argue again just how inexpensive oil and gas are compared to solar, wind, geothermal and tidal power, I am going to laugh (when I finish crying).
The govt. works hand in hand with corporations in the energy, military, “health” and financial industries to wreak havoc on our own and other nation’s population. While so doing, they allow the destruction of the one planet we all live on. America is clearly a fascist state. IMO, we should not wait for this govt. to do anything that is rational or good. Instead of sending campaign contributions to corrupt politicians, we should pool our money and work with local start ups to fund regional energy companies based on sound alternative energy technology. If you don’t think that technology exists, I urge you to check into the many fine discussions of this issue on Science Friday.
So I had a strange thought….oil pipeline was being laid into Iraq prior to our invasion….now we have multiple oil ‘events’ happening in multiple places and with foot dragging nose thumbing response by the corporations and maybe even our P’sTB, how much of this could actually be purposefull?
The discovery was made by Sky Truth a non-profit group which watches satellite imagery for environmental events.
They only noticed it recently, so it is unlikely that it has been going for a long time.
Pressures that affect oil rig risers, blowout “preventers”, and the oil and gas reservoirs, could be the cause of mysterious leaks.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2010/06/is-new-age-of-pressure-upon-us-2.html
A rig leaking for years is certainly a problem – but there are also many unreported oil spills in less regulated parts of the world, Africa for example.
Off shore Oil drilling is inherently dangerous to the environment be it 200 ft, or 5,000 ft. this administration is dishonest as to these dangers and benefits of this unsound policy due to it’s being subservient to corporate interests over the needs and security of our people..!
We could be growing Industrial Hemp, not a drug not marijuana for fuel and use flex fuel vehicles we could cut Oil Gas, consumption in 1/2..easily..!
Obama is a spokesperson for the corrupt banking and corporate interests that have dragged America down these past 30 years..!
Go read Hemp 4 Fuel.com the Why Hemp section it is so easy we are still an agrarian nation you know, why must men die for Oil or in Coal Mines that are run like death traps..?
http://www.hemp4fuel.com/page.php?2
Interior Dept claims that rig has been leaking for a couple of years, small amounts (???) & is in the process of being “bottom killed.” Just FYI — I don’t vouch for Interior Dept.
P.S. A Goldman Sachs research note published late Monday night first highlighted this & tanked Diamond Offshore stock yesterday. I assume GS was short DO. 🙂