[QUOTE=alcor;36412]We’re making progress! I’m not sure if you’ve come around to my way of thinking or I’m coming around to yours. Anyway, I’ve enjoyed the challenge of getting to the bottom of this. And, it’s far from over.[/QUOTE]
Well you’re both saying basically the same thing, albeit with slightly different emphasis. You both agree that BP needs to be completely hammered to the fullest extent of their liability (whatever that proves to be). And you also both agree that where there is guilt (whether in the MMS, TO personnel, etc.), be it negligence, willful disregard of safety and/or the drilling plan, or people making decisions they lacked the knowledge to make, there must be consequences. I agree that legally apportioning the blame should be left to the courts. However, the more minds that peruse the data and the more information pertaining to this disaster that is released, the better experts of all stripes will be able to inform the courts. Beyond owning shares of O’n’G companies (401k or other investments) most judges understandably know very little about such operations. Therefor it is imperative that as much information be released as possible so that an analysis of the information outside of BP’s own can be presented in future trials.
Of course, I think you two are mostly agreeing now because it is becoming so damn obvious that BP fucked up egregiously. It’s like a murder trial (and it may well become one): if you pulled the trigger, you’re guilty, it doesn’t matter if you had help from the MMS or whoever. Once we know who looked the other way and who kept quiet, then we can throw the book at them next.
Also, Alcor, I’ve seen you a couple of times state or imply that the junk shot/top kill/other comically named attempts to shut in the well were in some way the product of pressure from Obama or the public and that they may have been, in fact, ill-advised and may have compromised the integrity of the casing/well-bore. That seems like a hell of a stretch. BP suggested those courses of action, BP backed those courses of action as being the most likely to end this disaster, and BP was best equipped (especially given their refusal to release more than a trickle of technical information) to know of the risks and potential consequences of those procedures. That’s 100% of them. Of course they were under pressure: due (apparently) to their negligence there were 20,000+ bpd flowing into the gulf. It’s Obama’s job to shove his boot up BP’s and Hayward’s ass. Had BP prepared a well-specific disaster response plan, which it appears they instead copy and pasted from other artic drilling operations, then under pressure they might have been able to do something more effective and less destructive. Again, this just ends up more and more on BP’s shoulders. Although whoever gave the Macondo well project a categorical exemption from review at the MMS needs to be thrown to the wolves.
Anyways, thanks again for y’alls continued analysis and insight. I want to emphasize that my vitriol is directed only towards those who ascend to positions of responsibility who fail to appreciate the gravity of their responsibility. I know first hand that risky work is sometimes only bearable by making light of the risks, and that that can push the knowledge that lives literally depend on your responsibility out of your mind if you aren’t vigilant. But it’s no excuse: if you can’t handle the risk and you can’t be counted on to assess risks and remember that you are responsible for lives and livelihoods, then you should get the hell out of dangerous work. Without fail, those people will cause accidents and will ultimately get people killed. If an industry doesn’t do everything in its power to eject those people, then it is doomed to disaster.
Alcor, you’ll probably say that’s the cowboy mentality that you’re talking about and CM1 you’ll probably call that the hazard of greed, but in this case, they’re two sides of the same coin. Anyways, I’ll quit rambling now as the oil and gas industry is totally outside of my area of expertise, so I want to ensure I don’t shove my foot too far into my mouth.