www.npr.org...
According to the most recent scientific estimates, the BP gusher is pumping out close to 100,000 BPD. BP, on the other hand, is standing by their
original estimate of 5,000 BPD.
Why is BP vehemently denying the scientific estimates, and why are they refusing to provide the live-feed of the spill (which they have) as requested
by congress and the scientific community? Scientists want this footage so that they can provide an even more accurate assessment of what is happening
underwater as well as assist in closing the leak.
They are also actively trying to impede any sort of "on the ground" coverage of the spill, and getting assistance from the coast guard:
www.huffingtonpost.com...
Emerging reports are raising the question of just how much of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill journalists are able to document.
When CBS tried to film a beach with heavy oil on the shore in South Pass, Louisiana, a boat of BP contractors, and two Coast Guard officers, told them
to turn around, or be arrested.
"This is BP's rules, it's not ours"
The first possible answer is that they don't want to give a full accounting due to the environmental damages - which they have already said they'd
pay for. The second possibility, and the one that really has me wondering, is because they may have been massively under-reporting oil productivity at
their wells - and so have all the rest of the PetCo's - in order to drive up the per-barrel price of oil.
Think what would happen to the oil-trading prices if it suddenly was revealed that we have massive amounts of crude underground that was simply not
being pulled out?
Congress, and the rest of the world Governments have a DEEP, vested interest in keeping oil prices high. The oil companies want the trading price high
so that they can continue to realize record-profits. OPEC needs oil prices to be high so that they can continue to build indoor snow-skiing resorts in
the middle of the desert. Automakers need the price to be high so that they can continue to charge us for the more-expensive technology that allows
cars to get better mileage.
Everybody in power and everyone that comes into contact with crude is desperate to sustain the high oil prices.
Think about the ramifications of suddenly realizing that there is no oil crisis, and that oil is literally, gushing out of these wells and we've only
been pumping 1/10th of capacity.
The petroeconomy and the Governments that rely on it would completely collapse.
Thoughts?
[edit on 20-5-2010 by atlguy]
[edit on 20-5-2010 by atlguy]