East of the mighty Mississippi River, Louisiana's Wildlife and Fishery Industries are in dire straits. Residents of fishing towns like Venice and Buras are praying for the best but expecting the worse. Much of their survival in terms of livelihood is tied into what the Gulf produces in seafood. Survivors of Hurricane Katrina, the people of this region are adept at facing disasters head-on.
Crude oil which is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico from a ruptured oil well 5,000 feet below the surface, is regurgitating oil at a rate of approximately 5,000 barrels a day, or in gallons, roughly 50,000.
This blanket of "Black Gold" is steadily drifting towards Louisiana's coastline; a coastline that feeds into inland tributaries which promotes and stimulates life in the Mississippi River. Metaphorically, the coastline can be compared to the body's arteries, which in design enables life sustaining blood to flow into our organs.
Currently, The Coast Guard is considering setting fire to parts of the oil spill as a means of protecting the fragile wetlands. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry said that a "controlled burn," far from the coast, is one option she's considering for preventing the spill's spread. Admiral Landry stated controlled burns have their risks - including air pollution - but in the past have been used successfully as a counter measure to containing oil spills.
Admiral Landry: "I want to assure you ... if we have any concerns associated with the risks of this burn, we can stop at any time."
Experts believe that a controlled burn of the spills could burn up to 99 percent of oil in selected areas.
As details began to unfold as to how this eco-disaster occurred, investigators have noted that the oil rig that exploded, caught fire and eventually sank, "The Deepwater Horizon", didn't have a remote-control shut-off switch that is used in two other major oil-producing nations as a last-resort protection against underwater spills.
The oil rig not being equipped with the "game changing" shut-off switch, called an acoustic switch, could magnify concerns over the environmental impact of offshore drilling.
Currently, U.S. regulators do not mandate the use of the remote-control device on offshore rigs, and The Deepwater Horizon, hired by British Petroleum, didn't have one. In theory, with the remote control, a crewmember can attempt to trigger an underwater valve that shuts down the well even if the oil rig itself is damaged or evacuated.
When oil wells rupture and surge out of control, the primary shut-off systems almost always work. In the case of The Deepwater Horizon, the primary shut-off system failed to work. Indeed, remote control systems such as the acoustic switch, which have been tested in simulations, are intended as a last resort.
Nonetheless, Norway and Brazil, two major oil producing countries, require them. Production records indicate that Norway has had acoustic triggers on almost every offshore rig since 1993.
The U.S. did consider requiring a remote-controlled shut-off mechanism several years ago, however, drilling company executives questioned the apparatus' cost and effectiveness; according to the agency overseeing U.S. offshore drilling. The agency, the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service, stated that it decided the remote device wasn't needed because in their opinion, oil rigs had other back-up plans to cut off surging crude from a ruptured well.
British Petroleum reportedly is spending 6 million dollars a day to combat the oil spill that threatens so much of the Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coastline and fisheries and wildlife. In hind sight one must question if indeed the cost of installing The Deepwater Horizon with an acoustic switch would have cost BP a considerable amount less amount of money than what they are now forced to pay in cleanup after opting not to have the device.
As always Louisianans, the New Orleans Examiner is interested in what you think. Should U.S. regulators require all offshore oil rigs be equipped with an acoustic switch which could have possibly prevented the disaster that many now believe has the potential of evolving into becoming the worst oil spill in U.S. history? Inquiring minds want to know. Sound off.
Additionally, everyone at the New Orleans Examiner would like to send out prayers and condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in the accident. Lest we forget that eleven people lost their lives and shall always be remembered.
Until next time Louisianans, Good Day, God Bless and May we Continue to Have Good Fishing.
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/oil-leak-spreads-worrying-louisiana-fishing-industry/19456199
Comments
"5,000 barrels a day, or in gallons, roughly 50,000"
There are 42 gallons in a barrel of oil.
5,000 x 42 = 210,000 gallons
To blitz: You are absolutely right. I was trying to low-ball the number as to the fact that the amount that is leaking is thought to be between 1 and 5 thousand barrels a day that is leaking. But thanks, you are right, if it is 5 thousands barrels a day, the number of gallons is closer to 210,000. GB
Hurricane season starts in less than a month now. Folks are NOT talking about that and SHOULD be.
Regards
JimmyK
Is there only 10 gallons in a barrel of oil? I thought it was something like 40 gallons. The story above says "Crude oil which is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico from a ruptured oil well 5,000 feet below the surface, is regurgitating oil at a rate of approximately 5,000 barrels a day, or in gallons, roughly 50,000." If it's 40 gallons a barrel than 200,000 gallons per day is spilling.
The acoustic switch is listed in several on-line sources as costing $500,000. There seems to be very little real data on how effective they might or might not be. You do the math. Condolences to the families of the lost rig workers. They are not forgotten in this awful mess.
$600,000,000 = cost of drilling rig
$500,000 = cost of acoustic safety switch
$435,000/day = value of oil leaking / day
[assuming 5,000 brls/day * $87/brl]
$?,000,000,000 = clean up + environmental restoration
$?,000,000,000 = economic losses to area
WSJ today says men who would have hit the switch for blowout preventer are among the dead so it's unknown whether switch was hit or not. It's possible nobody triggered the BOP, in which case the acoustic switch might have worked. It's possible the damage was too great. But today it sure seems like the remote switch is a cheap insurance policy! God Bless the Gulf and all those who cherish her!
To suzc: Great response. Thanks for reading my work. GB
Of course US should require acoustic switches, Obviously the oil companies are not going to spend money unless they have to.
Now , what about all the other wells in the Gulf that don't have acoustic switches?
Of course acoustic switches should be required.
Now what about all the other wells in the Gulf?
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