BP pointing finger at US laws

I don't know enough about the drilling process to know if he is telling the truth. But he is saying that the deep water wells are soo deep that divers can not go down to fix the leak. So they have to use robots and machines. Where as if they could drill in shallower water or on land...the leak would be easier to get to therfore fixed faster. Makes sense I guess. But I dont know. I don't really think our government can do much right now. They don't have the speical machinery needed to fix it. So they have to wait til BP stops the leak. I do think our government needs to be doing more to start the clean up process.

Our government does have the equipment to fix this issue! They have been using machinery to deactivate mines in the deep set ocean for over a decade and they are easily adapted to fix this as they really only need to change out some of the supplies. Also the same machines used to set up the sites can be used to fix them as well as unlike people they can be used for longer amounts of time under the water. I do not know a whole lot about drilling but my husband worked for years as hazmat spill response and has traveled to other ocean spills that where very similar but where taken care of properly so there was no media field day and OSHA was on top of it. Unlike this time when there was such an emphasis on waiting to see.

It's hard to know who to believe. But if we STOP offshore drilling we will be in a world of hurt, beholding to foreign oil. Perhaps this is what will happen? What do you think? Is it really what we want, to have even one company go down the tubes? Is the government going to take over yet another industry? I am known as a conspiracy freak. But folks I got goosebumps when I heard that Washington was looking into regulating this industry even MORE than they do already. It's no secret that I don't trust our current administration as far as I can throw (him) them. So you can read between my lines. America is being ground down into the dirt, and this is just one more industry going by the way side. That is my opinion. It wouldn't be a bad thing, if we were actually prepared to live without gasoline and oil by products. Solar, wind and hydro power are all much safer and cleaner and I would love it if we relied more on these types of power. There is technology already in the works for non gas using autos. BUT the American people and auto industry HAVE to get behind them to make it feasible. Greed and laziness has prevented that from happening.

sadly it is almost comical the way they defend themselves if it wasn't such a serious subject.

Who is saying that the government wants to run the oil industry? I am pointing out the fact that even if they were able to get the government to OK drilling in shallow water, many states wouldn't allow it. Florida under Jeb Bush banned drilling off the shore, so did former Ohio governor Bob Taft (that is right, not even in the sea). What they are saying is true, but no one is forcing them to drill there, and the American people have voice their opposition to shallow drilling. Should we ignore the American people?

Can I ask why it is just assumed that BP is the EVIL here? I am not sticking up for them per say. BUT maybe they're telling the truth? It just seems to convenient that yet another industry will wind up run by the federal government???? Maybe I am over reacting. Hope so.

I am in an area with a TON of oil wells (land). This is 40% of our state budget. When they drill, they leave the land better than when they found it. We have plenty of wildlife as well as plant life. Agriculture is also a huge part of our local economy. I am not saying there is not potential of danger and/or problems.

I am so sorry to hear that. They are very good to us here and agriculture is the rest of our budget so if they did that kind of crap we would be broke... oh wait... lol not really, we are ok if these liberals would stop wasting money. My county has a great rainy day fund!

I Wish the natural gas guys did, because they are raping our area and it is disgusting. They plow roads through, leave garbage, their spills cause issues some not even known yet. I think even if they turn it into a preserve that looks nice there is still damage. We have some power plants here that have these awesome reserves around them that have lots of wild life and plant life, hiking trails and pretty parks. Yet you cannot eat anything from any of the land not only on the preserves but close by to the plants (private farms) which has been a life killer for some local farmers who can no longer use their land. Yeah the power plant paid them a lump sum to cover the financial damage but what does that do for the land it's self. It looks like beautiful trees until you realize some are growing funny, that the animals are having an increased number of deformed babies and what not. The gas rigs have not been here long enough to see this type of thing yet (they only got permits last year so they are all new). I know laws are better because mining coal was the main support for our area and still is a huge business. The damage you see from this is just horrific, to this day companies lands that have been shut down are covered with huge piles of coal, and parts of some of the mines are on fire under ground. http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0205/Centralia-Pa.-coal-fire-is-one-of-hundreds-that-burn-in-the-U.S, One is close to us and it is so creepy to drive by the cemetery with it's toxic smoke curling around it's tombstones.

I agree with you somewhat...but part of me says drilling is always risky....shouldn't we minimize the risks? I can't believe how long it has taken BP to stop the leak. They should have had a plan set up for this and already knew what they were going to do to stop it.

No, BP is a UK owned company. I can understand your concern, Deb, but the government cannot use this accident as an excuse to "take over" the oil companies. I'm not too concerned about increased regulations either, mainly because I'm in Florida and I want what's left of our western coastline protected. If they can't safely drill far enough not to create a risk, they shouldn't be out there.

Spalladio is right. BP is a UK company...not an American company. Our government can not take it over...this is not Chevez we are talking about. LOL But our government does need to look at how and why this happened and see what safety laws may need to be changed to keep this from happening again.

While it's true that the CEO's of oil companies often think of the bottom line and profits, I am even LESS trusting of our federal government to do what's right by the individual states and the people who live in them. Is BP American or foreign owned?

Bp better clean up and pay up is all I have say about it. I do live on the coast and I can see BPs point. But then again...I live in a place that depends on tourists coming each year...tourist don't come to see oil rigs...they come to play on the clean pretty beaches. I don't know. I can see both sides.

From what I hear anyone hurt by this disaster can file a claim for BP to pay them. But I don't know how it works...or who all can get it.

To tell the truth, when visiting the coast, seeing oil rigs in the distance have never bothered me. They don't change the sensation of sand in your toes and the waves crashing at your bu**...enjoying the ocean. So I might argue the tourism point...I'd still come to play at the beach with or without rigs... Now, oil all over the beach is another story...that's got to hurt tourism big time. I wonder how BP is going to compensate for lost earnings to the tourism industry...fishing industry...?

There is nothing trivil about this situation. I don't know if BP is just finger pointing or if htey have a point. I don't know enough about deep water drilling.