Did You Know This About the BP Disaster? Information Tidbits

Although there has been numerous discussions here on ATS, and in the
MSM on this Gulf disaster, it seems like everyday, more new information comes to light. There is, as one poster said in a topic thread, too much information, scattered everywhere to keep up. I think that ATS has taken a great step forward to help alleviate that problem by consolidating the threads into their own new forum, Deepwater Disaster, for which I, and I am sure others, are grateful for.

Granted some "new" information is "old news" to others; that's always going to be the case as we have members from all over the world, and new members joining all the time who are eager to share their own experiences or questions about this disaster with different levels of experiences and knowledge about this situation.

So I am starting this as a new thread, which I will add to as items become available, that are short snippets of info with the sources listed, versus starting all new threads each time I run across something that may be of interest, but not really necessary to start a whole new thread about. Of course I will start threads on this topic and others as in the past, if the information in my opinion is very significant, but will try to do some consolidation of information as possible, for whatever that is worth.

Anyone of course is free to add any comments to this thread at any time, as is true on all threads on ATS.

Having said that, I will start off with a few tidbits:
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Misc. Information :

"Federal law allows agencies to suspend or bar from government contracts companies that engage in fraudulent, reckless or criminal conduct. The sanctions can be applied to a single facility or an entire corporation. Government agencies have the power to forbid a company to collect any benefit from the federal government in the forms of contracts, land leases, drilling rights, or loans.

The most serious, sweeping kind of suspension is called "discretionary debarment" and it is applied to an entire company. If this were imposed on BP, it would cancel not only the company's contracts to sell fuel to the military but prohibit BP from leasing or renewing drilling leases on federal land. In the worst case, it could also lead to the cancellation of BP's existing federal leases, worth billions of dollars."

Source: gcaptain.com...
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In 2006 a report was prepared under contract between the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and Louisiana State University’s Center for Energy Studies. It is a very long report at 134 pages, but a comprehensive one entitled: "Capital Investment Decision Making and Trends: Implications on Petroleum Resource Development in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico", which gives an inside view on how the oil industry operates in the Gulf.

Source: www.gomr.mms.gov...
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[edit on 16-6-2010 by manta78]

Nice approach for a thread, I'd like to add a tidbit. Apparently BP is the largest supplier of fuel for America's military, at bases both home and abroad. The US Govt pays BP hundreds of millions a year due to the lucrative contracts.

Fueling War: Pentagon Still Buying Most of Its Oil and Gas from BP

BP supplies the military with nearly 12% of its fuel needs, making it the Pentagon's largest fuel supplier.

Source

Because of BP's military contracts, the government may not impose serious sanctions on the company. It could become "a matter of national security" that BP not be punished.

Blog Source


[edit on 16-6-2010 by kinda kurious]

reply to post by kinda kurious


Thanks for that info.

I did'nt know that a House bill had been introduced to re-evaluate the military's contract with BP...interesting. All tidbits are welcomed kinda kurious!



[edit on 16-6-2010 by manta78]

From R T (Russia Today) News- 6-16-2010 video on the Obama Speech - Addicted to Oil:

www.youtube.com...

June 17, 2010

Thick patch of oil discovered in Barataria Basin dubbed "The Black Sea"

www.youtube.com...

How about this, rio-tinto sure sounds familiar...hmmmmm





BP Buys 10% Interest In Deep-Sea Venture From Rio Tinto-Zinc

The Wall Street Journal, 267 words
Jan 5, 1977

LONDON British Petroleum Co. said it has bought a 10% stake in a five-year, deepsea mining project from Rio Tinto-Zinc Corp. The project is under the management of Kennecott Copper Corp. of New York holder of a 50% interest in the venture. Friday, March 8, 1968

Here's another "gem" from the 60's......


Loss of Rig Will Delay North Sea Gas Quest Of British Petroleum
Industry Sources Say Time Lost May Run to a Year; Search for Survivors of Sinking Continues


The Wall Street Journal, 389 words
Dec 29, 1965

LONDON British Petroleum Co.'s search for natural gas in the North Sea will be seriously delayed by the sinking Monday of its drilling platform Sea Gem, in which at least five lives were lost

February 14, 1970 article on"1899 Rivers and Harbors Act" from the St. Petersburg Times


news.google.com...,2133408&dq=british+petroleum+accident&hl=en

TITLE 33 > CHAPTER 9 > SUBCHAPTER I > § 407
Prev | Next § 407. Deposit of refuse in navigable waters generally
It shall not be lawful to throw, discharge, or deposit, or cause, suffer, or procure to be thrown, discharged, or deposited either from or out of any ship, barge, or other floating craft of any kind, or from the shore, wharf, manufacturing establishment, or mill of any kind, any refuse matter of any kind or description whatever other than that flowing from streets and sewers and passing therefrom in a liquid state, into any navigable water of the United States, or into any tributary of any navigable water from which the same shall float or be washed into such navigable water; and it shall not be lawful to deposit, or cause, suffer, or procure to be deposited material of any kind in any place on the bank of any navigable water, or on the bank of any tributary of any navigable water, where the same shall be liable to be washed into such navigable water, either by ordinary or high tides, or by storms or floods, or otherwise, whereby navigation shall or may be impeded or obstructed: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall extend to, apply to, or prohibit the operations in connection with the improvement of navigable waters or construction of public works, considered necessary and proper by the United States officers supervising such improvement or public work: And provided further, That the Secretary of the Army, whenever in the judgment of the Chief of Engineers anchorage and navigation will not be injured thereby, may permit the deposit of any material above mentioned in navigable waters, within limits to be defined and under conditions to be prescribed by him, provided application is made to him prior to depositing such material; and whenever any permit is so granted the conditions thereof shall be strictly complied with, and any violation thereof shall be unlawful.

June 17, 2010
Protester disrupts BP CEO's testimony:


www.youtube.com...

June 18, 2010

Louisiana's Kennedy Warns U.S. to Plan for BP Bankruptcy: Video (Update)

www.youtube.com...

"PBSNewsHour — June 18, 2010 — Amid new signs of progress in the battle to contain the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the newly-appointed overseer of a $20 billion compensation fund, Kenneth Feinberg, made his way to the region. In an interview with Jeffrey Brown, Feinberg vows to accelerate the claim process."

www.youtube.com...

Oil Threatens Sperm Whales in Gulf
By Heather Heenehan, Special to CNN
June 18, 2010 11:53 a.m. EDT

"Woods Hole, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Our need for oil almost wiped out the sperm whale once, and now our insatiable hunger for it threatens them again."

www.cnn.com...

[edit on 19-6-2010 by manta78]

BP Oil Spill Killing Animals... GreenFuelSpot.com Tear Jerker


www.youtube.com...

From the Source:

"June 14, 2010 — BP OIL SPILL DISASTER LATEST VIDEO NOT YET SEEN ON TV BREAKING NEWS ships collecting oil and shots of the oil burning. Produced by Monica Leftwich Video Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area and Department of Defense."


www.youtube.com...

From the Source:

"June 10, 2010 — LATEST VIDEO TODAY NOT SEEN ON TV OIL SPILL BREAKING NEWS MILITARY AERIAL VIEW BURN BREAKING NEWS TODAY VIDEO COURTESY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AERIAL VIEW OF BURN INSITU Burn (Controlled Burn) They Have to Burn the Oil They Collect. Scientists Say 40 Million Gallons of Oil Released into the Ocean as high as 40 thousand barrels per day or 1.6 million gallons. 100,000 barrels could be leaking a day says Ira Leafer researcher at UCSB UNIVERSITY CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA. Video of Controlled burn of the Gulf Coast Oil Spill. Video by Chief Petty Officer Bob Laura. Produced by Deepwater Response Unified Command."

www.youtube.com...





[edit on 21-6-2010 by manta78]

Britain to Continue Deepwater Drilling by Christopher Mackie|The Scotsman|Thursday, June 10, 2010

"Britain will continue plans to open up new deepwater oil drilling operations off Shetland, despite the unfolding disaster caused by the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, a UK energy minister has confirmed."


Source:

bx.businessweek.com...

Here's one something I'm pretty sure about, and haven't heard a damn thing in the media about.

The Gulf of Mexico disaster can fall under Admiralty Law (maritime law), and The Law of the Sea.

This grants your government way more latitude in how to deal with BP in these matters.

GRITtv: Mike Papantonio: BP Spill as Organized Crime


June 22, 2010 — "I know what a thug corporation looks like," says lawyer and radio host Mike Papantonio, who is busy building a RICO case against BP for the oil devastation in the Gulf. "These people are sociopaths and the GOP are apologizing for them."

"Papantonio joins us from Florida to discuss the ongoing case against BP, noting that the company bragged back in 2008 of being able to better track its oil movements only to claim now that it had no idea how much oil was gushing into the water. He also discusses the studies that found brain damage and genetic mutations in people exposed to oil in previous spills--and why drilling in Alaska is going forward anyway. Distributed by Tubemogul."

www.youtube.com...

Oil Spill Victims Losing Everything

CNN - June 23, 2010 — "A look at BP's program for boat owners losing income from the oil mess that even BP says is "imperfect."

www.youtube.com...