These are reader submitted photos of the Deepwater Horizon Rig that had a blowout Tuesday as it went down in the Gulf.
Click on these to see a full size view.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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Since 2001, there have been 69 offshore deaths, 1,349 injuries and 858 fires and explosions in the Gulf, according to the federal Minerals Management Service.
Just in the Gulf? Wow!
pictures speak louder than words. that is so very sad.
Marine ecosystem will likely be horribly disrupted for a long time-ending seafood sales; and who pays for clean up? DMN readers say the taxpayer ultimately will pay.
Such a tragic loss of life!
Not to minimize the human deaths, but the number of explosions and fires is alarming, don't you think? These statistics only further show how incredibly dangerous this business is.
While we don't yet know the cause of this disaster, the saving grace is that it wasn't 300 feet from someone's house. Unlike how many hundreds of gas wells we can all think of.
Want offshore drilling in your area?? Just take a drive along the coast from say Mobile Bay down to Corpus Christi! Look and see what's there as a result of the offshore drilling and production!
Yes, instead of saying "terrible accidents happen," we need to say how inherently dangerous this is, and things will go wrong!
TxSharon,
So if drilling is so unsafe we shouldn't do it in the Gulf, or near urban areas, or presumably anywhere else in or near our country, where should we drill for oil and gas?
Or are you saying that we should only drill for oil and gas if safety to the workers and the environment is absolute? Guess that rules out coal mining too.
Or are you saying that we should not drill at all for oil and gas? That we should be 100% dependent on foreign sources?
Or are you saying that we should not even use oil and gas?
Just trying to pinpoint your position on our energy problem. It's pretty easy to argue against things; providing constructive, realistic solutions is a bit harder.
Anon 9:39 :You're correct on some things- We shouldn't drill in urban areas or anywhere near people live, attend church or school. Drilling for oil and gas and coal is inherently dangerous for those who work in the industry as well as the people who have to live near it.
When did our energy 'problem' become so large that people like you were so willing to to put the rest of us at risk? We seem to care more about the damn caribou in Alaska and the seagulls in the Gulf more than we do our own children, and we have people like you to thank for it.
There were 11+ people who were killed on that oil rig in the Gulf. There were much more killed in the coal mining accident. I'm sorry people were killed-but there were no people killed in either of those situations that didn't willingly go into them.
I do not willingly have a leaking gas well head, a pipeline and a leaking condensate tank battery near my home. It was put their against our will. We did not go to the danger, the danger was brought to us.
In Texas, no matter if you own 10 thousand acres or 10 acres or even 2 acres, the only property you truly own is 200 feet around your home. The rest is up for grabs for people like you so that we can 'reduce our dependence on foreign oil".
Here's a constructive, realistic solution: Don't drill within 1500 feet of someone's home, school, hospital, park or church. Also, since people like you are so willing to put my family at risk, you should be required to have the same risk-if you're the mineral right owner, you should share the same risk as that of the people who are the surface owners-a well must be installed 200 feet outside your home, and you also give up as much property as the gas company deems 'reasonable' for a pipeline, and put up with all the emissions, leaks and spills. If you really don't think there's a risk, you shouldn't have a problem with agreeing to this.
I aplogize to all the mineral right owners I lumped into one category. I'd like to clarify my comment: If you are a mineral right owner who has exacted his will to drill on another's property, and therefore believe your 'right' to extract your minerals supercedes my right to health…then I believe that you should also have a drill 200 feet from your home, a condensate battery, pipeline, emissions and whole shooting match done in the same manner by the same company as you've signed your business deal with. Since you obviously believe the risks are either non-existant or low, that condensate tank batteries, emissions, pipelines, trucks and noise and permanent loss of property do not adversely affect one's health, property values or quality of life or have any affect on the 'normal use and enjoyment' of your property, then you really shouldn't have a problem with signing up for a well yourself. Think of it this way- since your love of money dictates all your other decisions, then that additional well will undoubtedly make you that much more money!
I'd really like to conduct a survey that shows how many mineral right owners (who live on the mineral lease) and gas company execs have at least one well 200 or even 300 feet from their home and family. I think the results of this would be very telling as to what these folks really believe about gas well drilling.
The site supervisor of the company on my property owns 10 acres (like we do) AND owns the mineral rights- but has no wells. The mineral right owner has hundreds of acres of property, but added to to the terms of lease that no pipelines or wells could be installed within 50 acres of his home.
Any volunteers from the Industry Lurkers on this blog?
"The site supervisor of the company on my property owns 10 acres (like we do) AND owns the mineral rights- but has no wells." —– hmmmmmm, maybe he would trade you even up, I mean, the land would be of the same value since the well site obviously has no bearing on the value of the land…maybe you could even use a 1031-exchange in the transaction to avoid capital gains, what say you, Aruba?
Ah Tim, I think I understand the root of your problem. You did not purchase the mineral rights when you bought your property (and who's fault is that?). And now you are feeling bitter and lashing out at all kinds of enemies, both real and imaginary. Careful my friend, as your rage continues to fester the latter tend to become the former.
Ah Cowardly Anonymous Poster,
Please see the graphic posted HERE. Learn the difference!
Hey Txsharon – In your rush to defend little Timmy you forgot to answer the question I originally posed. What are your solutions? I'm sure they are well thought out. Please – dazzle us with the brilliance of your answer!
Yeah, Txsharon, that's what I thought. You're all hat and no cattle, girl. Hey, is that little Timmy's face that I see peeking out from behind your skirt? Come on Timmy, you can't let Mommy fight all your battles.
Erm, Cowerdly Anonymous Commenter, is there a battle to fight here? All I see is a coward who has no reading comprehension.