Deepwater Horizon Disaster

by Scotland Willis

The ongoing disaster as a result of the fire on oil rig Deepwater Horizon, in the Gulf of Mexico, should be of major concern for consumers of fish, environmentalists, scientists, and President Obama. Public health implications when such events occur, seem to be easily forgotten as a result of distancing ourselves from the event; this event should remain present in our decision making, regarding food consumption and our energy choices for the United States. 2009 data from the Department of Agriculture research shows that in the United States, Americans consume 743,858,000 pounds of fish and another 240,113,000 pounds of lobster, clams and other crustaceans.

On April 20, 2010 the oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded resulting from an oil leak. The spill occurred between 30 and 50 miles offshore from Louisiana's coast, and is currently under investigation. Estimates indicate that the rig, operated by BP Global(for crude oil production) was spewing 700 thousand gallons of oil a day into the Gulf Region, according to the AP.

Corporate Response

According to a BP press release 32 spill response vessels were deployed to the area including a barge capable of skimming 171,000 barrels per day and an additional 175,000 on standby. This seems adequate to capture the 700 thousand gallons a day if that is in fact accurate. They also announced that 100,000 gallons of dispersants are on site, having received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard. BP's forecasting suggest that the spill will remain offshore. The largest oils spills in history range from the Gulf War at 1,400,000 tons to the Exxon Valdez at 35,000 tons, and Deepwater Horizon appears to be moving in that direction.

Government Action
As a part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Mineral Management Service(MMS) is also working with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess and deploy emergency response to this oil spill. The MMS is responsible for managing everything from renewable energy to gas and oil, and minerals for the United States; part of that management includes emergency responses. Ilene Angelico appears to be overseeing the gulf region as the emergency point person for this particular oil disaster.

Ownership

After attempting to contact BP directly, the calls were redirected to a Houston office to a recording in direct response to the oil spill; the calls were once again redirected to a Transocean spokes person. After speaking briefly with Guy Cantwell responsible for communication, it was discovered that Transocean, the worlds largest drilling contractor, was responsible for drilling the well.

Oil rigs are somewhat like airlines in that rigs are leased by investment groups because of large expense. The rig was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Shipyard in South Korea; it is owned by Transocean Ltd. and leased to BP Global. BP's annual report shows sales and revenue of $239 billion dollars; producing 5.9 million barrels of refined oil a day in 2009, and an interest in 16 refineries around the world. BP also has investments in renewable energy .

Deepwater Horizon has now collapsed and is approximately 5000 feet below the sea. The platform was 396 feet (121 m) long and 256 feet (78 m) wide and designed to drill in water depths of up to 8,000 feet (2,400 m). Maximum drill depth was 30,000 feet (9,100 m).

Environmentalist Reprisal

On March 31, 2010, President Obama and the Secretary announced the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Strategy as part of President Obama’s comprehensive energy plan for the country. The Department is pursuing a strategy for exploring and developing oil and gas resources on the OCS. This accident will lead to great concerns, and leveraged arguments for environmental and marine scientists. The fallout from this accident regarding the ecological impact and food consumption in the Gulf region, has yet to be determined. It is likely that there has been extensive damage which will impact that area for years to come, with the slick less than 30 miles off shore.

Oil disasters are important to understand and keep on our radar because of the ecological impact and threat to the environment overall. Since the fish we consume is exposed to the waste products we produce and fossil fuels we use, understanding what is happening regarding the impact of products or amenities that provide a lifestyle we enjoy in the U.S, these issues should at bare minimum, be an active concern for everyone.