The True Ramifications of the Recent BP Oil Spill

Image by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center via FlickrBy George Chan

Recently uncovered documents relating to the causes of the BP oil spill have been too telling. They cast an onerous light on BP's handling of the construction and maintenance of the Deepwater Horizon rig and their general attitude about what's acceptable behavior in this very risky business of deep-water oil exploration.

The fact that one company's disregard for following prudent procedures could devastate an entire, widespread economy and habitat is bad enough. That BP would risk the whole Gulf Coast, including people, fish, fowl and the very earth itself is unthinkable, but it's been done. What's next?

Deep-water oil drilling has been a hot potato since its very beginnings, with environmentalists on one side and industrialists on the other. Short of a nuclear energy plant melt down, what type of industrial accident could have such wide-reaching negative effects? In our quest for cheaper and more readily available energy sources we're managing to kill our planet (and ourselves) in the bargain.

The problem lies within. We know that driving a gas-guzzling vehicle is bad for the environment, but this doesn't stop many from buying and using SUVs and other four-wheel drives, even in areas where there is no challenging terrain. Yes, we love our petrol-eating transportation but wince every time the prices rise at the pumps. The BP oil spill is a write-off to our thirst for cheap energy and, for them, an unnecessary hit for doing business as usual. It was unnecessary because it was preventable.

The BP oil spill didn't have to happen, and that's the rub. BP executives knew there were problems with the casings and the relief pressure system, but chose to ignore the advice of their senior engineers and undergo repair work. It would cost too much money. What the engineers were suggesting wasn't cost effective, although it would significantly lower the risks involved with running the Deepwater Horizon rig. It was a gamble, to be sure. British Petroleum lost the bet.

BP executives who are known to have been in possession of information that the well was in trouble and a BP oil spill of mass proportions was in the offing are culpable. They could have spent the money and fixed the problem before it became the biggest environmental disaster of all time. They chose to take a chance. It wasn't a good choice.

So what's next? BP has lots of deep-water oil platforms plugged into the seabed. The Deepwater Horizon incident is but one example of what's possible, if not probable, in the near future. The most recent BP oil spill may be the harbinger of what's to come for our oceans. Big Blue can't take too many more of these poisonings. The fish and birds aren't doing too well either. These are irreplaceable resources that some gigantic corporation is gambling in exchange for money. That just doesn't seem right.

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