Bush to lift offshore drilling ban

[ReefHound]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

The issue, to me, isn't the drilling or the pumping. It's the risk of a spill. The small amount of good an offshore artificial reef does to the local marine populations pales in comparison to the massive amount of damage that can be caused by a spill.

If they could guarantee no spills, I'd cheerfully wave a flag for them while they headed out to begin working. But the fact is, they can't. Anyone who has actually witnessed a spill first hand knows this.

What does that really have to do with drilling? The spills don't usually occur because of drilling mishaps but because of shipping accidents. And we are going to have shipping whether we drill here or the Middle East. We have supertankers plying our coastal waters every day already.

[SlvrDragon50]

Originally Posted by aggie99

Or just open up trade of around 70 vehicles that get over 40mpg that are sold overseas (some by US manufacturers). Quoted from the linked article:

"Adding insult to injury is the fact that nearly two-thirds of the 113 highly fuel-efficient models that are unavailable to American consumers are either made by U.S.-based automobile manufacturers or by foreign manufacturers with substantial U.S. sales operations, such as Nissan and Toyota.
“These cars sold in Europe meet or exceed U.S. safety standards, so there is no reason why they shouldn’t be made available to U.S. consumers,” said CSI President Pam Solo.
“We have to face the unpleasant facts here: America is needlessly losing the race to develop the best fuel-efficient technology and then deliver it to the American consumer,” Solo said. “U.S. consumers say they are willing to buy these cars, so the big U.S. automakers are actually going backwards at a time when it’s possible to make cars that are more fuel efficient.” "

U.S. 'stuck in reverse' on fuel efficiency - The Driver's Seat - MSNBC.com

Generally European cars are smaller than those found in the US. Despite how retarded it is... I think Americans have a tendency to buy big cars. Its even more stupid when you see one person driving something like a Hummer or GM Yukon.... those things are like tanks.

[FishFood]

Even hurricane Katrina didn't cause a spill in the gulf. 7 million gallons of oil were spilled on land however.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by ReefHound

What does that really have to do with drilling? The spills don't usually occur because of drilling mishaps but because of shipping accidents. And we are going to have shipping whether we drill here or the Middle East. We have supertankers plying our coastal waters every day already.

So... what is it you do with the oil after the drilling? You load it onto ships.

Point stands. No drilling platforms, no oil pumping, no ship loading ... no spills.

[ReefHound]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

So... what is it you do with the oil after the drilling? You load it onto ships.

Point stands. No drilling platforms, no oil pumping, no ship loading ... no spills.

Point doesn't stand. The Valdez didn't spill it's oil while pumping or loading. And you in fact do have pumping and loading even in the absence of drilling platforms. When supertankers come over here from overseas they don't come into port. They are far too big. Nearly every barrel of crude we import gets transferred to smaller lightering vessels or pipelines offshore. One might even argue that transferring from fixed structure (rig) to boat is safer than boat to boat.

There have been hundreds of rigs in the gulf off Texas for over 30 years. Mexico gets most of it's oil from the gulf in Campeche Bay. Tell me how many bad spills you can remember. Tell me why the coasts of California or Florida are going to be any different than Texas.

[Splitlip]

[aggie99]

Ok, I have a question regarding oil rigs. I do realize that the structure of a rig creates an artificial habitat which is good. My question is (not trying to start world wa III, just have little knowlege in how an active Rig functions) is what are the byproducts of a working rig? During the drilling, pumping and transferring process is their any by products that are leached into the water since these platforms are so isolated? I am sure there are policies in place because this is such a sore subject for most but I was just curious.

I still don't see how the net effect of active offshore rigs benefit the environement by the single fact that they create artificial reefs. The argument seems very similar to a tanning bed being healthy for you since they are a great source of Vitamin D.

[Largo]

A quote from McCain. I don't like McCain, but this one sounds reasonable.

"I had one opinion on off-shore drilling at $1.50 a gallon. I have a new opinion at $4.50 a gallon."

[SlvrDragon50]

Still, offshore drilling isnt a permanent solution.

It may drop down to 2.00 again which causes people to drive more frequently increasing oil consumption. Sooner or later, were back to the 4.50/gallon and what is worse is that there is less oil and not as much alternative fuel progress.

[ReefHound]

Originally Posted by aggie99

Ok, I have a question regarding oil rigs. I do realize that the structure of a rig creates an artificial habitat which is good. My question is (not trying to start world wa III, just have little knowlege in how an active Rig functions) is what are the byproducts of a working rig? During the drilling, pumping and transferring process is their any by products that are leached into the water since these platforms are so isolated? I am sure there are policies in place because this is such a sore subject for most but I was just curious.

I don't know but I've dived a lot of active rigs and I've never seen or tasted anything but clear blue saltwater.