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Oil Spill - How is this possible?

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2K views 28 replies 13 participants last post by  freestoneangler 
#1 ·
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#4 ·
Yeah, but what about . . . ? Deflection, the classic approach for those who can't handle the subject at hand.

Oil spills are inevitable, whether the transport method is pipeline, rail, truck, or ship. Probability analysis indicates the inevitability. Assuming oil transport is in the public interest (why else would gov't. allow it, unless they're being bought off), what can be done is to reduce the frequency and magnitude of spills through mitigation measures. With a political administration like the current one, that believes such a thing as "clean coal" actually exists, fewer mitigation measures are required, so the reasonably expected outcomes are greater frequency of spills and spills of larger magnitude. That's how this is possible.
 
#5 ·
ASME B31.4 (Code that governs this type of pipeline) requires radiographic testing of only 10% of welds. It does require a higher percentage in certain areas (near waterways, cities, etc.). Not saying a bad weld caused this, but it could be the failure mode. You also have instances like the Olympic pipeline explosion here in Bellingham where the pipe was damaged externally by a work crew.
 
#11 ·
Interesting. What Dept. or who sets these codes?
 
#13 ·
I too am interested in the cause of the spill. I am always amused at how fast some in the media and government agencies want information and then get upset if the information changes as the investigation continues.

Anyone who has had to report to a government agency in short time periods knows how difficult this can be. The reality is the agency can do precious little about most reported conditions so knowing about the occurrence in 4 hours or in 24 hours makes no real difference in their ability to mitigate the condition. In this case the spill was reported as stopped in 15 minutes which is pretty good. (how long would it take you to shut off the water or gas in your house if the leak occurred at 5:00 a.m. and you had to first find a working flashlight?) How long would it take to to get an expert to your house to determine the cause of the leak after you had isolated the source?

As was previously posted, there is no such thing as zero risk of spills regardless of the transport mechanism. Spills will continue to happen either in the ocean or on the land (and potentially enter near-by water) along the transport route. Which do you think is easier to clean up?
 
#24 ·
No body here is saying we don’t need these resources but IHMO there should be careful review and accountability and enforcement. The extractive industries have a pretty poor record of compliance and openness. Look at the various Superfund sites across the country, Hanford is proof the government isn’t much better. I don’t know all the answers but certain areas should definitely be off limits and maybe bonds should be large enough and long enough to cover the cost of damage.
The current administration doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling that they’re too concerned with accountability given some of their appointments; people with little experience in the agencies they will be overseeing as well as the POTUS statements regarding “Clean Coal” to name but one of many fallacious statements he’s made.
 
#25 · (Edited)
No body here is saying we don't need these resources but IHMO there should be careful review and accountability and enforcement. The extractive industries have a pretty poor record of compliance and openness. Look at the various Superfund sites across the country, Hanford is proof the government isn't much better. I don't know all the answers but certain areas should definitely be off limits and maybe bonds should be large enough and long enough to cover the cost of damage.
The current administration doesn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling that they're too concerned with accountability given some of their appointments; people with little experience in the agencies they will be overseeing as well as the POTUS statements regarding "Clean Coal" to name but one of many fallacious statements he's made.
Yup just like every other administration.
Just this administration is hitting hot buttons for people on this forumn. The last administration did the exact same thing just with different issues.

The biggest difference is that Trump has a big mouth which his feet often occupy.
 
#28 ·
Sorry, but not like every other administration, at least not since Nixon. Already two jailed, one more going down and it's far from over yet. Can't wait.
Well it's hard to have a cover up when you tweet everything so yeah they'll go to jail. That's where Hillary should already be.
As for Nixon near as i can tell he is one of the better presidents of my lifetime. At least he tried to make thoes 58 thousand American lives count for something. Instead of just wasting them so they didn't look weak like his two predecessors did.
We'd live in a lot different world today if Congress had let him win. He had already defeated the NLF and seriously crippled the NVA. Nixon gets a bad rap. Some of it deserved.
 
#27 ·
"if oil spills aren't ok with you..... stop driving!"
 
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