DUCKPOND

BAD NEWS FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO May 30, 2010

In their breaking news email, The Los Angeles Times reports that BP have failed to plug the oil surge in the Gulf of Mexico.

Here is the email in full:

Los Angeles Times | May 29, 2010 | 3:28 p.m.

BP’s top kill effort fails to plug Gulf oil leak

BP has failed in its latest attempt to plug the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico with mud and cement.

BP chief operating officer Doug Suttles said Saturday that the maneuver known as a top kill had failed. It was the latest setback for the company trying to stop the crude from further fouling waters, wildlife and marshland.

The spill is the worst in U.S. history and has dumped between 18 million and 40 million gallons into the Gulf, according to government estimates.

BP’s top executive had put the chances of success for the top kill at 60 to 70 percent, but officials had cautioned that it had never been done 5,000 feet below the sea.

BP says it’s already preparing for the next attempt to stop the leak. Under the new plan, BP would cut off the damaged riser from which the oil is leaking and cap it with a containment valve.

While it is good there is an alternative, but it is likely the judgment was this new approach was less likely to succeed than the failed, or more expensive. Why is the decision making as to what to do been left up to the company? In this context the failure of oil companies to address the environmental impacts of drilling in third world countries takes on greater significance. Perhaps they do not have the technology or experience to deal with these outcomes?

ELSEWHERE:

In The Guardian it is reported that the problems with oil spills in Nigeria, which are now long term, are far worst than the Deepwater Horizon disaster.