Thursday, October 21st, 2010
The federal judge who overturned the moratorium on deepwater drilling has thrown out the safety regulations issued by the government, calling their implementation illegal.
http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/judge-feldman-throws-out-deepwater-safety-rules/
NO WHAT HAPPENS
That might not be a good thing. I would guess that the oil companies just assume comply with the new rules over this thing getting drug out until next spring.
who petitioned the Judge asking for this ruling? IADC? API? Hornbeck?
This is starting to get really annoying…I’m sure I’m one of many who are trying to get back to work. I got lucky and ended up going with our fleet to work the spill but with everything on hold, we’re looking for new jobs and it’s just about impossible.
UPDATE http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN2110138720101021 US GOV. SAYS FINAL DRILLING / SAFETY RULE STILL IN EFFECT, DESPITE THE JUDGE’S RULING.
Proof that the checks and balances written into our constitution are no longer in affect.
I have read a couple of things that deeply disturb me about what is going on. First off, someone in the administration has stated that any new safety rules are “dynamic”. I read that as being “inconsistent”. The other thing is that it makes anyone who signs a drilling plan and approves a drilling plan criminally liable should a blow out occur. With the costs associated in the “worst case scenario discharge”, it will be very difficult to get any insurance coverage. With these rules in place, there is no need for the moratorium, so it was lifted. While the spill was certainly not a good thing, it was an extremely rare occurrence, and the drilling industry, especially in US waters, has quite a stellar record. The shame of it is that the current administration isn’t interested in that, only in dictatorial control over business. And that is never a good thing. Lost jobs to these folks only means more people reliant on the government.
Oh, I just read that coral reefs only 20 miles away from the spill site show no ill effects. In fact, the article goes on to say that apparently the impact to the Gulf from the spill was, in fact, minimal if at all. Of course research must go on. This was an AP report.