Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Louisiana Oil Rig Fire / Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

roachboy · 06-01-2010, 11:36 AM

here's an infographic that makes the extent of the oil spill and potentials for damage really quite plain:

CRUDE AWAKENING

edit: best that can be determined bp's suspended most meaningful operations to stop the flow of new oil.

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6541#comments_top

it appears that an attempt that's detailed far better at the link above than i could hope to do here failed.
the consensus on the oil drum is that the next phase will be the relief wells.

what's curious about the viewpoints on that site is that while there's considerable engineering and oil experience, there's also a tendency to dismiss ecological considerations...well maybe to minimize them is more accurate a statement. it's peculiar. but it's also an indication of the scenario we're all in at the moment in terms of information. there's not a whole lot of data yet. there are persistent reports that bp and the coast guard have been obstructing attempts to get access to affected areas (see the infographic for alot about all this) & the bp has been trying to minimize the sense of amount of oil that's already out and the rate at which it is flowing because they're trying to minimize the fines they're apt to get whacked with, which are determined on a per/barrel basis.

when you hear about plumes of oil, as the people on the oil drum point out, there's no consistency in terms of what that means. they will write again and again that a plume can contain levels of oil in the parts per billion range or a saturation. there's no agreement about toxicities amongst these people, nor is there any agreement about the implications of the dispersants.

autonomous information sources appear to be working at a lag. it's less simple to say things about ecological damage than it is to estimate the number of gallons of oil blowing through a cracked pipe or 3 a mile below the surface of the ocean. and there are fewer visuals.

it's hard to get other information really. and it's difficult to know what to make of some of what information there is available.

maybe this is a significant dimension of how consent for the petroleum-economy is maintained--ignorance plus cheap gas. so the walmart way.

06-01-2010, 11:36 AM	#289 (permalink)
roachboy Super Moderator Location: essex ma	here's an infographic that makes the extent of the oil spill and potentials for damage really quite plain: CRUDE AWAKENING edit: best that can be determined bp's suspended most meaningful operations to stop the flow of new oil. http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6541#comments_top it appears that an attempt that's detailed far better at the link above than i could hope to do here failed. the consensus on the oil drum is that the next phase will be the relief wells. what's curious about the viewpoints on that site is that while there's considerable engineering and oil experience, there's also a tendency to dismiss ecological considerations...well maybe to minimize them is more accurate a statement. it's peculiar. but it's also an indication of the scenario we're all in at the moment in terms of information. there's not a whole lot of data yet. there are persistent reports that bp and the coast guard have been obstructing attempts to get access to affected areas (see the infographic for alot about all this) & the bp has been trying to minimize the sense of amount of oil that's already out and the rate at which it is flowing because they're trying to minimize the fines they're apt to get whacked with, which are determined on a per/barrel basis. when you hear about plumes of oil, as the people on the oil drum point out, there's no consistency in terms of what that means. they will write again and again that a plume can contain levels of oil in the parts per billion range or a saturation. there's no agreement about toxicities amongst these people, nor is there any agreement about the implications of the dispersants. autonomous information sources appear to be working at a lag. it's less simple to say things about ecological damage than it is to estimate the number of gallons of oil blowing through a cracked pipe or 3 a mile below the surface of the ocean. and there are fewer visuals. it's hard to get other information really. and it's difficult to know what to make of some of what information there is available. maybe this is a significant dimension of how consent for the petroleum-economy is maintained--ignorance plus cheap gas. so the walmart way. __________________ a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear it make you sick. -kamau brathwaite Last edited by roachboy; 06-01-2010 at 12:37 PM..