Off-Topic: Wouldnt it be nice....
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Name:
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MartiniMan
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Subject:
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Wouldnt it be nice....
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Date:
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6/5/2010 9:30:36 AM
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Hound, alternative energy will be found when it becomes economically viable. Right now it just isn't. This is one area where the government can play a role by promoting research but they should focus only on technologies that are a true viable alternative to oil and not pie in the sky, economically non-viable or unreliable (i.e., solar and wind). We need to be able to run our vehicles, make our products, etc.
As for the long-term damage to the Gulf I would not be too worried. The Gulf has 643 quadrillion gallons of water so the total release is only a tiny fraction. What makes it appear worse is that it floats on the surface and is spread out in a very thin sheen. With the warmth of the water and the tremendous microbiological activity the oil biodegrades very quickly. By the time it reaches the surface it has weathered so much that it has lost almost all its toxicity to biota. Then the only issue is physical toxicity which will go away quickly. You probably don't realize this but in the 1970's there was a similar, slightly smaller (so far) spill in the Gulf by PEMEX. I have been going the beach in the panhandle since 1984 and have no recollection of problems caused by this spill where there was no cleanup attempted.
There will be short-term impacts for sure and oil in the water and on the beaches will be a problem for a while but not as long as you think. If I had the money I would be looking for cheap Gulf front property over the next several months as people panic for no reason. I am not trying to minimize the current impact or say this isn't a disaster but I am trying to give you a longer term, more realistic perspective. We heard all the same dire predictions after Exxon Valdez and we have seen how that area quickly recovered such that within a year or two you had to go looking to find any residual oil. So don't have too much sympathy for the environmental wackos that oppose all oil exploration. They know the truth about the long-term prospects
As for offshore drilling, this is but one accident among thousands of successful offshore operations in the Gulf. And I think as the facts come out, some of which I have been privy to working for one of the parties involved, you will see that the operation could have been safely completed and this event could have been avoided. Much like a plane accident where pilot error is involved, there were a series of decisions made that led to the blowout, a chain of events that were not intended to result in the blowout but did. We will have new regulations that will require operators to improve on procedures, etc. that will hopefully prevent a repeat. No human endeavor is without risk but responding with a prohibition because of one accident out of the tens of thousands of offshore wells around the world makes no logical sense. It is am emotional reaction and we really need to have a broader perspective.
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