Please pray for the Gulf region

[Sherry]

I'm deeply concerned and saddened over the situation in the Gulf.  I believe in the power of prayer and if you do too, lets please pray over this situation. 

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

amen!

[sparklingfaces]

You know I haven't really been paying attention to it all, but I have a friend that is an engineer in the oil industry and she explained to me what happened. There are three big companys at fault that are all just pointing the finger at one another, and that just makes me sick! BP was the only one brave enough to do a public apology - so everyone thinks they are the ones to blame. However all three corporations were responsible for faulty equipment and inadequate safety measures.

I think they all need a good old southern spanking!
And I would love to be the one to administer it.

[Sherry]

Wow, I didn't know that.  I've started having hard feelings welling up toward BP, thinking they were to blame.  Who are the other 2 companies?

I hadn't been paying attention to it either until recently, because I never watch the news.  Now that I see how bad it is and that it isn't stopping, I'm horrified.     This crazy life.

[sparklingfaces]

it's BP, Transocean and Halliburton ( had to look it up as I didn't even really remember )

the way it was explain to me ( a dummy ) was ...well -  I tried to illustrait it but prolly not as well as my friend did



Basically there are 4 safe guards in place, each company was responsible for a safe guard.
That thing at the bottom is the oil pipe.

item #1. These are pipes that connects to a rig, these pipes should have been maintained and kept up to code, because they were not maintained the oil burst through them ... in the picture I drew them strait, but they are actually in such bad chape that they are bent at a 45 degree angle ( or that's what she told me )

item #2. There are three large chambers that are suppose to close and keep the oil from leaking into the pipes above - but the system failed and none of the chambers closed - they are investigating why

item #3. These are sensory pipes that keep the oil from over filling and getting dumped into the ocean, once the tubes sense the oil filling up the tube, it allerts the chambers at the bottom to close. But it didn't happen - they are investigating why

item #4. There is a large chamber at the bottom that opens and closes, this is how they control the oil pressure and flow. This chanber did not close properly and pressure from below forced it open even more.

[MsMollie]

i have to add this...if they maintain this oil platform like they do the plant in Texas City, texas(BP), then it was a time bomb. My husband has worked in the BP "maintained" plant in TC and he said it's a death trap...old documentation that HAS NOT been kept up with and just very scary plant...most plants try to be very safe here(there are tons of plants here in this area) but BP is one of the worst...and believe me, he knows. So i wouldn't let them off the hook. they all know when they aren't following the guide lines....they are probably all at fault....i love the pic vi...

[sparklingfaces]

Yep, I believe they are all at fault, but the arguement is, even if the rig was not maintained, there were THREE other mechanisms that were suppose to shut off the oil... All malfunctioned!

[Wildcatfin]

Totally with you.
LOAD of total BULL the way the US/ press (don't take offence, you know who I mean) is blaming the Uk.

Um, hello, what planet are they on? There is no such thing as a real '1 country owned' large company any more. From what I recall BP started, obviously as a UK company but pretty soon had more global than local investors and wasn't it bought out by Amoco??? Just been to check my share certificates...yep, its now BP Amoco on all my paperwork from them, a US company! And as said, all the other non-UK companies involved should also shoulder blame.

Yes its horrible, I'm dreading the effect on wildlife / people worldwide not just the US, but wish they'd stop being so biased about it all. I should be hating BP, all my savings from my Granny are in BP shares which was going to be what I lived on until hubby got a new job/ work in the UK picked up for me,  and is now worthless.

Yup definite prayers there..

Cat x

[Sherry]

Yes, I don't think we can really point the fingers in any one direction.  I was pretty clueless about offshore drilling, but now I want nothing to do with it.  I think if we can put a man on the moon, then we can put our heads together and come up with some better energy solution.

I believe we give corporations too much power in these decisions.