No Surprise: BP’s Long Record Of Environmental Neglect
No Surprise: BP’s Long Record Of Environmental Neglect
BP’s press release regarding the shutdown of its Prudhoe Bay operations:
ANCHORAGE — BP Exploration Alaska, Inc. has begun an orderly and phased shutdown of the Prudhoe Bay oil field following the discovery of unexpectedly severe corrosion and a small spill from a Prudhoe Bay oil transit line. Shutting down the field will take days to complete. Over time, these actions will reduce Alaska North Slope oil production by an estimated 400,000 barrels per day.
There is nothing “unexpected” about the corrosion or the spill. In early March, a severly corroded BP pipe leaked 134,000 to 267,000 gallons of crude at Prudhoe Bay. It was “considered the largest oil spill ever in the energy-rich North Slope.” Government reports concluded that six other places along the pipeline also had the same corrosion.
Additionally, just last month, BP had to shut down 12 Prudhoe Bay oil wells after whistleblowers revealed the leaks.
Today on Fox News, Neil Cavuto’s guests said that the shutting down of BP’s operations means we should starting drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But what this incident really illustrates is the extreme risk of entrusting the Alaskan wilderness to the the oil industry.
The Alaska Wilderness League and Richard A. Fineberg have more on BP’s environmental record in Alaska.
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45 Responses to “No Surprise: BP’s Long Record Of Environmental Neglect”
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this also illustrates the extreme risk of depending upon oil for our primary energy source.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:39 pmyou think they’d want every barrell - that’s throwing away liquid gold.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:40 pmToday on Fox News, Neil Cavuto’s guests said that the shutting down of BP’s operations means we should starting drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. But what this incident really illustrates is the extreme risk of entrusting the Alaskan wilderness to the the oil industry.
Kind of like saying that you shot your toes off with a gun and wanting to get another one so you have two to shoot with ’cause your aim might be a little off ’cause you are a little wobbly from the lack of toes.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:46 pmAfter Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, Neil Cavuto was probably lobbying for more nuclear reactors too.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:47 pmNeil Cavuto’s guests said that the shutting down of BP’s operations means we should starting drilling in the Artic (sic) National Wildlife Refuge. - - His guests would also say things like people with anorexia nervosa have a heightened sense of vanity.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:51 pm(By the way, it’s ‘Arctic.’)
Just think if America had spent as much on alternative energy research as we have already spent on the Iraq War, we’d be much closer to affordable solar and other renewable energy sources.
However with half the US population stupified or brainwashed into blind submission by GOP disinformation talking points, Fox News pseudo news, false reality or a plastic Jesus this probably is wishful thinking.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:52 pmHmmmm. A small spill? And who is responsible for providing us with this information? Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s much, much worse.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:53 pmThe neocons are all for removing a ‘bad’ person from the face of the Earth if it is to the benefit of humanity. I think they should start with themselves.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:53 pmwhat? no maintenance program to diagnose problems early and to repair the pipeline in an orderly manner without disrupting oil supply? It’s clear now, private corporations are too focused on their bottom line for the american people to have to depend on them for our critical energy supply. It’s time to expropriate and nationalize the oil industry.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:54 pmWell, I tried to read B.P.’s press release, and no surprise there. Aside from the small print, I found it difficult to gag the propaganda down. I found a mirror helpful in reading the tiny encoded cryptic jargon that, obviously only Faux Kool-
August 7th, 2006 at 4:57 pmaide drinkers understood. Typical American horseshit press release.
I recommend skipping the press release, and just asking Dick Cheney what humankind should do now. He’ll know!
Looks like this has been an ongoing problem for BP.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0321-06.htm
No wonder they’ve been trying to look so green lately, with their “solar powered” gas station, and all.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:57 pmAnything oil companies do is suspect, due to their status. BTW, I dont like oily snow, never have. 5 or 6 barrels a small spill? Jeez, I get freaked when I change my own oil and some drips outside the recycling container. If we let a quart get on the ground it could affect groundwater. Wonder what the groundwater is like by these oil “tubes”.
August 7th, 2006 at 4:59 pmI have lost faith in justice, the American Way and the ability of good to overcome evil. I know that society will not be perfectly just. I know that evil will sometime triumph over good and that many times the strong will unfairly dominate the weak.
This event just seems to show how far off track we are trending. BP will not receive a significant fine or penalty for their transgression. BP will actually watch as its profits increase because of lowered production capacity. (In actuality, reserves are fairly decent. However, prices will go up due to the perception of a problem as well as the current unrest in the Middle East.) BP has cheated us by failing to pay into upkeep even though it has historic profits and could well have afforded to make the investment. In our perverse world, they will be rewarded. The conservatives will push us even furhter towards ANWR and there will be more justification for tax give-aways to big business.
I went to college in the 70’s. There was a healthy skepticism of government and big business. One had the feeling that we were trending the right way. Some how we went off track. First there was the “Greed is Good” Gordon Gekko era. Then there was the “centrist Clinton” years. (Although Clinton brought some sanity back to balancing the government and ensuring that some of the reward of economic growth went to the poor and middle class.
Now we live in the Bush era. The rich and powerfull control. The poor and middle class are caught in a time warp. In the 50’s and 60’s the American dream did hold true. Fueled by a strong post war growth and the coldwar, excellent investment was made in developing education, manufacturing and technology. Even the 70’s carried foreward to a lesser extent. People came to believe in the dream. They did not see the change. The religious right blames or morals. The rich create the myth of the lazy poor. Only too late will the majority realize that we have been subjected to a well planned income redstribution scheme.
August 7th, 2006 at 5:10 pmPlease let’s not throw a shit blanket over all of BP.
Remember their internal carbon trading scheme?
http://pesd.stanford.edu/ publications/ bps_emissions_trading_system/
http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/ challenge/ members/ bp-shell.html
http://www.envirovaluation.org/index.php?title=energy_policy_via_elsevier_science_direc_7&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
It wasn’t perfect but they were the only company doing it.
August 7th, 2006 at 5:15 pmI read a Small Spill 4 or 5 barrels - at 42 gallons per barrel.
August 7th, 2006 at 5:16 pmJust a couple a hundred gallons o’ crude…
Oil is for lubrication not fuel!
Uh just C&P the last link.
THINKPROGRESS:
August 7th, 2006 at 5:17 pmYOU NEED A PREVIEW ON YOUR COMMENTS~!~~~~~!
Well, now that everyone is accustomed to $2.85/gal regular unleaded, $3.05 for the next few months won’t seem so bad…
August 7th, 2006 at 5:26 pmand as if on cue, pataki was on cspan today explaining why we need to start drilling in the gulf coast .
August 7th, 2006 at 5:34 pmI hear ya JHMOR…your point on profits…yes, they wil rise for BP with the oil price increase. No big hit to BP shareholders, of course. But think about consumers…and the redistribution. We’ll pay an extra 20 cents a gallon this summer now because of their neglect, maybe more. So, add up all the gallons, and do the math. We, the consumers get to pay the BP shareholders for higher profits, because we let it be in their interest to skimp on maintenance. Yes JHMOR, this IS another facet of the income redistirubution scheme….Reverse robin hood in action. Rape the little folks and give it all to the already wealthy. Im so sick today I could just puke…
August 7th, 2006 at 5:36 pmthis shutdown by BP should put a couple of extra billions in Iran’s pocket……don’t ya think?
August 7th, 2006 at 5:41 pm“….But what this incident really illustrates is the extreme risk of entrusting the Alaskan wilderness to the the oil industry.” Text by Amanda
August 7th, 2006 at 6:39 pm******Not according to the majority of Alaskans…
boycott think progress…ha.
August 7th, 2006 at 6:48 pmIf the Arab countries really want to make a statement against Isreal, they would slow down the production of oil.
August 7th, 2006 at 6:50 pmAnd the Republicans want to open up the Artic Wildlife Sanctuary to oil drilling…
Can’t trust Republicans to tell the truth and you can’t trust Republicans to do the right thing.
August 7th, 2006 at 6:51 pmAnyone willing to bet that somehow the goverment will pay to help rebuild the pipeline? In the interest of national security or some BS like that.
August 7th, 2006 at 7:06 pmThank Jesus that nothing lives in Alaska, and that any oil spills can’t possibly harm any living thing there. I mean, oil is more important than life, any life, plant, animal, or human.
August 7th, 2006 at 7:27 pmHoly Christ! I get it now! If you accept Jesus as your personal savior, you do not have to worry about how fast environmental degradation causes the end of the world because the rapture will take care of you.
August 7th, 2006 at 7:30 pm#30 - I heard that Bush is forming his Middle East policies based on the Rapture. He has the author of the left behind series working on policies right now.
August 7th, 2006 at 7:50 pmCavuto and company suffer from really stupid, convoluted and short sighted logic.
August 7th, 2006 at 8:00 pmInstead of recognizing the environmental hazard of drilling in pristine wilderness, they advocate creating another mess.
Don’t think for a minute that this will affect BP’s profits — this will allow them $$ in write offs.
BP has all those friendly-to-the-environment commercials in their efforts to persuade public opinion - they should have instead spent that money on maintenance of the equipment already in place.
The oil execs will do nothing that doesn’t mean more profits for them personally and their companies — there is nothing to stop them — they have friends in high places.
The so called “stewards” of the north slope owe the American Public an explanation for their shoddy oversite. Hopefully they will reimburse US and the wildlife for their transgressions while they collect on “our resourses” at the pump.
August 7th, 2006 at 8:06 pmMy husband used to works in the oil industry as a research scientist. He used to work for Amoco before it was bought out by BP. He said that the pipeline had not been tested properly since the mid 1990’s. They used to use an instrument called “the pig” that was a short section of tube that the oil ran through. Inside this tube was a lot of electrical components that analyzed the oil as it went through to be sure that there wasn’t too much sludge build up. They replaced it with something that was different, not as accurate, and basically a waste of technology. They knew this wasn’t an accurate way to test the oil and they knew the sludge build up would cause the pipeline to leak. In fact, they knew is was leaking for a long time. This could have been taken care of a long time ago if they weren’t so busy cutting costs to hide the problems they were having. Of course, they won’t be hurt by this, only the customer at the pump. They just raise the prices of gas. I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a profit out of this.
August 7th, 2006 at 10:16 pmDoesnt sound like nothing another 17 billion giveaway plus another mega tax break for the uber-wealthy can’t fix.
August 7th, 2006 at 10:27 pmAll the BP assets in the US must be seized by our government and the CEO of BP jailed for life!
August 8th, 2006 at 12:41 amYou all give the term Progressive a bad name.
August 8th, 2006 at 2:21 amThis shutdown will cost the state of Alaska an estimated $6.4 million per day. We get 90% of our revenue from oil.
If we had been smart enough to open up ANWR in the ’90s, it would soften the blow. Alaskans overwhelmingly support opening up ANWR. This includes nearly all Democrats. Only the Green Party opposes it. Both conservatives and liberals pay the same high prices at the pump.
Our dependence upon fossil fuels will continue until we develop attainable, available, and affordable alternatives.
August 8th, 2006 at 3:41 amThe revenue from the state will not be lost but deferred until the flow resumes. Where was Alaskan oversight in all of this? This makes the case that Alaska is not responsible enough to be partners in the ownership of any pipelines if it fails to properly oversee the operations of the supposed “stewards” of the north. This also makes the case that BP is not to be trusted (no inspection for over 14 years; 75% corrosion in 16 miles of pipe) when it comes to opening ANWR.
August 8th, 2006 at 1:27 pmThe big problems at BP shed some light on what’s wrong with our nation’s energy policy. If the major spike in prices caused by one company’s poor planning doesn’t show an over reliance on fossil fuels–petroleum in particular–I don’t know what does. Diversifying where we drill will only dig us deeper into this dilemma. Unfortunately, drilling is the sole option posited by many in Congress. States and cities have been leaders on diversifying our energy mix, but during a recent National Governors Association meeting, oil rigs in the Atlantic and liquefied coal seemed to dominate the discussion. Don’t these governors know that dirty fuels are so passé and the future belongs to new energy choices?
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