This Saturday, BP put another notch in its prodigious polluter belt: A toxic brew of methanol and crude oil spilling across Alaska’s North Slope tundra.
Reuters reports:
BP said on Monday that a pipeline at its 30,000 barrel per day Lisburne field, which is currently closed for maintenance, ruptured during testing and spilled a mixture of methanol and oily water onto the tundra. The London-based company has a long history of oil spills at its Alaskan pipelines — accidents which have hurt its public image in the U.S., where around 40 percent of its assets are based.
That “history” includes the infamous 2006 Prudhoe Bay incident when 267,000 gallons (~6400 barrels) of oil and chemical leaked from unmonitored, corroded pipeline (pictured above). It also includes:
- Illegal toxic substances dumping on Alaska’s North Slope. The EPA reported:
- From 1993 to 1995, Doyon Drilling employees illegally discharged waste oil and hazardous substances by injecting them down the outer rim, or annuli, of the oil wells. BPXA failed to report the illegal injections as soon as it learned of the conduct, in violation of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The illegally injected wastes included paint thinner and toxic solvents containing lead and chemicals such as benzene, toluene and methylene chloride.
- According to data compiled from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation spill database, 1.3 million gallons of toxic substances were spilled between 1996 and 2000.
- The November 29, 2010 Prudhoe Bay spill in which 46,000 gallons leaked.
BP has an equally disturbing track record in the Gulf of Mexico:
- An Associated Press investigation in 2010 revealed 27,000 abandoned wells in the Gulf, many of which are poorly sealed.
- And of course the infamous Deepwater Horizon Spill, where nearly 5 million barrels (~210 million gallons) of oil spewed into the ocean.
This Saturday’s spill emphasizes once again that BP needs to take drastic measures to cleanup their operations and that an oil-laden economy cannot be our future.
– Tyce Herrman
Below are earlier comments from the Facebook commenting system:
Desperate oil extraction…
…. just another spill by BP….
bleh…
July 18 at 8:35pm
Th arrogance of big oil is appalling and frightening. This is the same company that is trying to re neg on there committment to reparations in the Gulf.
Prokaryotes
Big Oil threatens the survival of the Species.
July 18 at 6:06pm
Big Oil threatens the survival of ALL Species.
· July 18 at 9:17pm
In reading this article, it appears that oil companies have been using the Arctic Tundra as a toxic waste dump, and probably figure they need Taxpayer subsidies to pay for the oil they lose in the many oil spils, not to mention the fact that oil covered wildlife is not seen by the public, and does not have to be dealt with.
out of control!
July 18 at 6:12pm
oh no
July 18 at 6:13pm
they’re getting really good at it.
July 18 at 8:35pm
We need to have a nationwide boycott of BP gasoline purchases. That would get their attention and let them know we don’t like to have our land and water used as a toxic waste dump.
lets consider a> nature did it b> neglegence equipment failure c> camouflaged terrorist action d> disgrunted employee needs a wallstreet short to get rich and retire (sick of the cold)
July 18 at 10:38pm
seriously?
July 18 at 11:24pm
Prokaryotes
Re Eric Carlson.
We need large scale affords to convert gasoline motors to electrical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_conversion
July 19 at 6:35am
forgot one e> down on luck local (mess something up) walla – job prospect
July 19 at 9:40am
Prokaryotes;
thanks for link; I always appreciate your “neat” links and incisive comments!
July 26 at 10:06pm
Oliver;
Well, why not? This provides everyone with a simple action that could, collectively, be very effective. BP isn’t doing the planet or our country any favors and 40% of their income comes from US sales. It is a low effort action for automobile drivers (just go to another gas station), fairly easy to spread the word by facebook and other social networks. If it puts a substantial dent in their revenues, it would be noticed by both BP shareholders, and by the other big oil companies who would worry that they are next. I am in favor of doing “positive” things like switching to electric vehicles and wind and solar energy, but egregious miscreants like Koch Industries and other big oil companies need a “correction”.
July 26 at 10:25pm
Oh no…..
completely out of control!
Hate to say it but, here goes. Told you so!
Thats pretty lame. Thanks for posting though
July 18 at 11:58pm
hmmmmm oddly there isn’t anything on the front page of CNN regarding this…..
July 19 at 8:19pm
Ah, BP. One of our benevolent companies that call the shots in Washington DC.
So why are we still letting these lunatics drill for oil?
This is absolutely ridiculous! f#%@*ng bull s%#*! when will it end?
Never. It will only get worse. Man has evolved and very dependent on the things are done. Unfortunately if its not BP then it will be someone else
July 18 at 9:45pm
OMG!
Joseph (below), Sarah Palin likes oil-covered wildlife because when you shoot them from helicopters they explode.
I’m going to do whatever it takes to make my next car something like a Prius. I don’t want to be part of this bs anymore.
I hear you, wish I could too
.
July 18 at 10:40pm
Even better – go gas free, use less plastic – recycle more, use electric domestically produced (not hybrid) vehicles, buy local, reduce & reuse……
July 19 at 1:08am
The Prius is a pretty good idea. But they are the WORST cars to drive. I hate them so much..sorry environment!!!!
July 19 at 2:27am
I don’t like them. When they change from gas to electric, they lurch and somewhat stall. I mean, I love the idea of a hybrid, but I’d never consider buying one. Of course, I love Audi’s. Stick shift and SO nice. Even the stick shift Prius has issues. The clutch doesn’t catch. Lame!!
July 19 at 2:31am
again!? wtf!!!
July 19 at 4:02am
this is just too much! makes me really sad. when i was a kid i used to have to much hope and now as an adult i see it very different, very bleak. it’s sad how cynical i’ve become because of events like these. :(
July 19 at 4:06am
Prokaryotes
We need large scale affords to convert gasoline motors to electrical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_conversion
July 19 at 6:37am
a prius is the worst example! the batteries alone burned more fuel being made then the car will ever use.
July 19 at 10:05am
This just makes me sick to the stomach, just thinkin’ about all those poor helpless animals and marine life.
Mop, baby. mop
Idiots and greed mongers!
It looks as though BP’s real purpose is not to produce oil, or to make money, but to destroy the world. The profit is a side benefit.
BP…you just keep getting better.
Another oil spill in Montana discovered today as well. Smaller than the Exxon disaster, but still large enough.
Yea drill baby drill you mean spill baby spill.
Bp drills for oil so all of the hippys can drive their station wagons. Accidents happen. 2100 – 4200 gallons of oil = 50-100 barrels. Bp produces 3.8 million barrels a day meaning on this horrific day of neglect from bp… they spilt.0001 % of the oil they produced monday. So yea boycott these people Call them arrogant. But I’m sure in your lives.0001% error is intolerable….
I’d be willing to bet more than 50 barrels of fuel are spilt daily at the pump.
July 19 at 9:53am
these are not accidents if you look at the gulf incident you will see what they did to not be apart of america so they can short cut safety maintenance an on top of that who cares id rather have our trash an accidents in society not nature these problems arent taken care of cause they are not in the public for them to see every day their for these corporations lie an hide stuff dont tell me your ignorance doesn’t under stand corporate laziness
July 19 at 11:22am
I wonder if Travis would feel it’s such a minor issue if those 50-100 barrels were spilled in his home, his yard, and it were his animals and family and neighbors being poisoned as a result of BP’s error.
July 19 at 1:13pm
Carolyn your a Debbie downer. These 50 barrels of oil weren’t spilled in anyone’s home… Not in anyone’s yard… Noones Families and neighbors are being poisoned all you environmentalists are so pessimistic… This is a minor incident with nothing to complain about but you guys all still find a way to make it horrible.
July 20 at 8:11am
the animals and plant life that live in that ecosystem beg to differ.
July 20 at 5:36pm
Your house is made up of trees. Do you apologize to them daily?
July 20 at 7:55pm
no amount of presumption or posturing can disguise your calloused nature and defeatist attitude. the rest of us are aware that, as consumers, we have the ability to make more informed and responsible choices with every purchase we make; and we care enough to do so.
July 20 at 8:08pm
And in the process of all trade goods there is loss, in animals and plant life. While making all the fuel for your prius they spilled oil on the arctic tundra and your freaking out. When your kitchen table being made most likely killed a family of 4 squirrels or at the very least made them relocate.
July 20 at 8:11pm
i refuse to debate the ill-equipped. your favorite song must be sympathy for the devil LoL
July 20 at 8:19pm
wise words from a self proclaimed professional drunk. thanks for the insight travis. i’ll make sure i remember that big oil is on the right side next time i’m filling up my station wagon.
July 20 at 8:22pm
Blue collar workers built this country. Ones who worked with iron, oil, coal, and steel. Worthless hippies just try and criticize everyone for it. Yet use all the amenities derived from our “devilish” ways.
July 20 at 8:23pm
i know you’re slow, so i’ll repeat myself. read carefully and give it time to sink in… no amount of presumption or posturing can disguise your calloused nature and defeatist attitude. the rest of us are aware that, as consumers, we have the ability to make more informed and responsible choices with every purchase we make; and we care enough to do so… so you see these lies you tell yourself in order to feel less guilty about your own blind consumption do not apply to the rest of us, no matter how much you stamp your feet and insist that its so.
July 20 at 8:34pm
Ok, i’ll dumb it down for you. Look at the photos of this pipeline. Its in the middle of arctic nothing. No Plants or Bunnies were hurt. They probably had it cleaned up with a Front end loader in a matter of hours. But you go ahead and boycott bp, buy organic. Etc etc see how economical your life is.
July 20 at 9:43pm
Somebody stop them before they kill us all!
Avoid BP…
Stop the MADNESS!
Prokaryotes
Re Eric Carlson.
We need large scale affords to convert gasoline motors to electrical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle_conversion
Prokaryotes
(Video)Life With Tesla.
Never Pay For Gas Again.
http://www.greenchipstocks.com/articles/life-with-tesla/1374
Prokaryotes
I just watched this new documentary called Life With Tesla.
As described on the documentary’s website, Life With Tesla documents one man’s transition from gas-guzzling commuter to solar-powered, self-sustaining, energy-independent living.
It’s an excellent piece that I highly recommend.
July 19 at 6:56am
thanks we need all need help!
So, how about that pipeline across the sandhills?
Drill, baby, drill. Sarah must be mighty pleased.
July 19 at 10:33am
14 dead on the gulf oil drilling platform. small percentage of the “twenty billion” paid out. water polluted for years to come. consequences to BP? charges? not that I am aware of. governments are their servants. investors should divest, the only possible action at this time.
Electric Bikes and scooters are a FANTASTIC way to reduce your dependence on oil/gas if you cannot afford a hybrid or electric car. Even if you keep your gas-powered car for trips over 10 miles and bad weather days, you will be surprised how much you save by using LESS gas… and it feels good to do SOMETHING. I bought mine from http://www.currietech.com/.
and I ♥ it!
http://www.currietech.com/
July 19 at 1:27pm
I don’t drive a car. I take a bus or I ride a bike to work. I once rode to work in tempatures around 14 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold day but I needed to get to work and I refuse to drive a car. Take action people and put big oil out of business!
I don’t like it. No not at all.
injecting mother earth w/ toxic chemicals is just as bad as the general public dealing with Meth all over the country. Greed/Envy still is the inner inherent instinct of most ‘non-tribal’ people/corporation in terms of natural resources. I to believe its up to each one of us to change the way we purchase vehicles and use of natural processes.
Not just a nationwide boycott, but a withdrawal of all our investments in the gas and oil industries. Put that money into public transportation. And make laws which force companies to pay for clean-up when they leave a resource-extraction site.
I got a better idea, Get Rid of This F**cking S***t. This Garbage is killing the environment. I resent the fact that I have to tolerate these bloody criminals, they should be locked up for crimes against the environment. Time for a change!
Can we end the nonsensical notion that drilling for oil can ever be done in an environmentally friendly fashion?
If you eat, breathe, drive, walk, ride a bike, you are dependent upon oil, if oil had not been discovered and wealth brought up from below the ground, Planet Earth would be deforested by now.
July 21 at 9:05am
Yes, yes, yes – oil was a great idea, one hundred years ago.
We need a better idea now; an idea for the 21st century – not the 19th.
July 21 at 1:42pm
And another.
How much corruption is in the government? We always look at other countries and their internal affairs, what about some cleaning at home , it is time.
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