Gulf Coast Deja vu!

If there is one thing that we have learned it is that history repeats itself. Over the past thirty some odd years the oil companies have made exactly zero progress. They continue to use the exact same primitive technology which produces no results. We should think that a multi-billion dollar operation would have the best and brightest minds at work, or at least on standby in case of catastrophe. Not even close!

In June of 1979 we had our first major spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil company (now Transocean)  attempted to prevent further disaster with "Operation Sombrero". Sound familiar? After this failed, they proceeded to try several other methods including shooting metal spheres into the damaged pipe, plugging it with mud and cement, etc. They also used the same non-environmentally friendly chemical dispersants to break up the surface oil and move it further down in the water column, producing fatal results for any marine life unlucky enough to reside there.

It's almost comic relief to watch the BP executives come on the television every day and provide more excuses for their failed experiments. Word to the wise, it didn't work then in 200 feet of water, it's definitely not going to work now in 5000 feet of water. The only solution that worked was the relief wells which we are still months away from. It would make sense that oil companies would spend a hefty sum of money on research and development to avoid looking like clowns when disaster strikes. Once again not the case.

I'm not naive enough to think that offshore drilling is somehow going to stop tomorrow. I happen to agree with the current administrations plan of making oil part of our long term solution while spurring progress in renewable energy technology. It is the only long term solution. Period.