“Hurricanes Katrina and Rita confirmed that our offshore oil and gas industry produces environmentally safe energy for America. Even in the face of two back-to-back major hurricanes, all subsurface safety valves held on the OCS and there was no significant spill from production. The small amounts of oil observed in the water surrounding platforms may have come from damaged pipelines or petroleum supplies for running platform machinery, but, as stated, it did not come from OCS production wells.”

A friend made the same “no oil was spilled” claim, at which point I produced the data from the U.S. Minerals Management study about the huge amount and number of oil spills, both on land and in the Gulf of Mexico, following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Then he said, “Oh, but the oil companies capped the offshore oil rigs before they were evacuated, so no oil leaked from the hole in the sea floor below any of these rigs.”

At which point I said, “Then why the hell didn’t you say this at the same time you said no oil was spilled? Why didn’t you qualify this “no oil was spilled” claim, adding this additional information, because we all know by now that massive amounts of oil spilled after the hurricanes?”

Then he stated again, “Well, no oil was spilled.”

At which point my brain short-circuited, because I realized that I was in a Republican disinformation talking points loop, like one often sees on Faux News, where information is intentionally withheld from viewers, while some right-wing pundit authoritatively proclaims a selective slant, that is, a Republican talking point, which conveniently leaves out the rationale, no matter how crazy, behind their deceptive propaganda.

July 30th, 2008 at 7:11 pm

Remember the Chrysler turbine car from the 1960’s? I think at least one was saved from the crusher and is in private hands.

Anyway, Chevy is working on a prototype called the Volt which will do what you describe. I believe it can run on pure electricity for up to a max of 40 miles and then the gas engine (or whatever fuel-powered generator they decide to install in the future) kicks in to recharge the batteries and provide power to the electric motors. Only drawback is, it reportedly will sticker for around $40,000, out of reach for many drivers.

10 years after Honda introduced a hybrid car to America, the Big Three still do not have a vehicle to compete with the current 2008 Civic Hybrid, especially in terms of technology. The closest GM comes is the “mild hybrid” Aura and upcoming Malibu, which use a belt-driven alternator/electric motor that provides a power boost to the gas engine when accelerating; it can’t even power the car on pure electricity.

You have to spend over $50,000 to currently get GM’s most technologically advanced hybrid, a Tahoe.

How did I miss #80? It’s priceless!
July 30th, 2008 at 7:58 pm

I think it’s safe to add “debate” to the list of words a troll will never comprehend.

I crewed on a broadbill swordfish boat (the Annette Marie) for a while. Hard work, I’ll tell ya. Very spartan conditions.

I’m glad I did it, but I’m glad I don’t have to do it.

So can we get back to the real discussion?

1) why would you expect the secretary (now called administrative assistant) of energy to have an intimate knowledge of oil

2) There wasn’t / weren’t *ONE* single spill, there were hundreds. So technially, their statement is correct.

Much of the drilling in the Roan Plateu in W. COlorado and much of the new drilling in Wyoming and Utah is for natural gas, which is becoming an even bigger profit maker than oil for the domestic industry.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:59 pm

And yet no one seems to be interested in making cars that run on natural gas. Too bad Jimmy Carter pushed it so it’s been declared “insane” by the Reichwing. Granted, it would do little about carbon emissions but it sure would help with the shock at the pump.

Though I do recall an article about a car that used a little turbine (which could run on just about anything from liquefied coal to hydrogen, including natural gas) that served as a generator to supply batteries and drive motors. No mechanical drive train at all. It got the equivalent of 100mpg, rising to 300-400 if it was plugged in and used for short trips. The generator would only kick in to supply extra acceleration without depleting the batteries.

Much of the drilling in the Roan Plateu in W. COlorado and much of the new drilling in Wyoming and Utah is for natural gas, which is becoming an even bigger profit maker than oil for the domestic industry.

Damn and just when I wanted to here from “Jacques”
July 30th, 2008 at 6:50 pm

Aw db. You scared them off. Don’t you know that bona fide experts are like kryptonite to trolls? One must remember that we are discussing oil policy with people who don’t know polymer from poly-sci.

BTW, “The Silent World”, and exploring tide pools from age 5, began my fascination with the oceans and their life.

And yet, you’ve got this lake full of thick black sludge with all of its life killed. The information is out there. We just have to counter their lies with true stories of fact. It’s all anyone can do.

great resume!

I have degrees in Environmental Science and Human Ecology and a minor in Geology.

I spent 15 years in the ‘awl bidness’ and traveled all over the world and saw things that the industry would NEVER want us to know about. Both on and offshore, and here and in other countries.