It's been over a month since this Oil Monster came to life on April 20, 2010 by way of the Frankenstein company, oil company BP plc.
Just like in the novel and films, BP plc tries to hide and cover its monster, Gulf Coast Oil Monster either by lying, hiding, or worse...incompetently calculating the volume of oil spewing out of this Monster. I think young gnomelet could've done better math than that...
Way beyond what BP estimates at 5,000 barrels of crude oil spewing out..."scientists studying video of the gushing oil well have tentatively calculated that it could be flowing at a rate of 25,000 to 80,000 barrels of oil a day."
Here is NASA's photo of the ugly Gulf Coast Oil Monster taken May 24, 2010
photo by NASA
So far, attempts to stop the Gulf Coast Oil Monster have failed.
Operation 125-tonne (280,000 lb) container dome
result: Fail
Operation: ROV's, BP sent out six remotely operated vehicles to activate the blowout preventer valves
results: Fail, Fail, Fail, Fail, Fail, Fail
Operation: "Top Hat" which is a smaller cointainment dome
result: lowered into water but postponed because of the failure of the larger containment dome
Operation riser insertion tube
result: collected some oil, but ultimately not enough. It was removed for operation Top Kill
Operation Top Kill
result: Fail
What's Next?
Operation LMRP or the lower-marine-riser-package (LMRP) cap containment system. "It involves an underwater robot using a saw to hack off the leaking pipe and place a cap over it."
They expect this operation will "last four days," and it'll be the first attempt at 5,000 feet.
Now Mama gnome would like to point out the key words in the quote above, "hack off the leaking pipe."
Um, if someone is bleeding, do you hack off the arm so you can cover it up?
Mama gnome is not an engineer but this operation doesn't sound good to this old gnome. Does it to you?
In addition to what Mama gnome listed, they're also using up til now:
Operation controlled burns and Operation chemical dispersants.
Mama gnome is a strict environmentalist and she would like to give all these a big F for "For crying out loud, fire and more toxic chemicals into the ocean? Give me a break."
And the booms...uh, did anyone notice the massive oil plumes under the surface.
The Gulf Coast Oil Monster is spewing oil underwater.
What in the world are we going to do?
Uh...how about an oil rig in the Arctic Ocean...
Can you just see it? The black and white panoramic view of massive oil spill off Alaska's coast? Unbelievable...
"Shell Oil was poised to begin exploratory drilling this summer on Arctic leases as far as 140 miles offshore."
It makes Mama gnome's blood boil.
Please see this post by the NY Times. Mama gnome's blood pressure shot up some more.
"The federal Minerals Management Service gave permission to BP and dozens of other oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without first getting required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species — and despite strong warnings from that agency about the impact the drilling was likely to have on the gulf."
"The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is partly responsible for protecting endangered species and marine mammals. It has said on repeated occasions that drilling in the gulf affects these animals, but the minerals agency since January 2009 has approved at least three huge lease sales, 103 seismic blasting projects and 346 drilling plans. Agency records also show that permission for those projects and plans was granted without getting the permits required under federal law."
The Minerals Management Service Director Elizabeth Birnbaum stepped down because of pressure. No kidding.
Mama gnome is anxiously waiting for the announcement of a moratorium on offshore drilling.
And Mama gnome paces in front of the aga stove, cookies burning, waiting for the Gulf Coast Oil Monster to be defeated somehow...
Please help fight Oil Monsters and Go Green..
(c) 2010 Jenaelha, Friendly Gnome's Blog
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