The Super Skimmer: Will It Work?

[MJS]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38095025/ns/disaster_in_the_gulf/

Thoughts on this? So far, according to the article, the tests are inconclusive as to whether or not this is going to work. Hopefully we'll see some positive results from it, as I havent heard any new suggestions from the parties responsible for this mess.

 

[MA-Caver]

You know I don't give a damn at this particular moment if it works or not!... STOP the damned oil from pumping continuously into the gulf FIRST then skim the crap off. How backasswards do they need to be?

Go to my thread in Horror Stories where I have a (link to a) map of the spill superimposed upon the gulf and tell me if skimming the crap now is going to stop more from coming up?

 

[MJS]

You know I don't give a damn at this particular moment if it works or not!... STOP the damned oil from pumping continuously into the gulf FIRST then skim the crap off. How backasswards do they need to be?

Go to my thread in Horror Stories where I have a (link to a) map of the spill superimposed upon the gulf and tell me if skimming the crap now is going to stop more from coming up?

I did see that pic. Sad and disturbing at the same time. But yeah, you're right....you'd think the main focus would be to stop it first, then clean. Seems like they're taking 1 step forward and 2 back.

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

I think this is one of those things that they need to work on concurrently. You can't just let the oil that will leak out spread out and kill the ecosystem until you've stopped the spill. Too much damage would happen.

There is nothing that would stop them from doing both at the same time.

 

[Empty Hands]

Skimming is fine, but a lot, maybe even the majority, of the oil is underneath the surface.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I predict, like all things so far, this too will suck.

 

[MJS]

I think this is one of those things that they need to work on concurrently. You can't just let the oil that will leak out spread out and kill the ecosystem until you've stopped the spill. Too much damage would happen.

There is nothing that would stop them from doing both at the same time.

Points taken. I guess I was looking at it like...lets say a pipe in your house breaks. Water is going everywhere. Of course, you dont want the water going all over the place, so you start throwing down paper towels, regular towels, anything that'll soak up the water...while you're trying to shut the main valve off.

What are we at, day 70-something? I'm assuming the oil is still gushing, so their cap that they placed over the leak apparently isn't working.

I'm not saying dont start the clean up process, but lets get something done about the leak too.

 

[MJS]

I predict, like all things so far, this too will suck.

Probably.

 

[Deaf Smith]

If placed where the well is leaking, I have no doubt it can suck up alot of the oil. Not all of it as I am sure it drifts and spreads some after leaving the wellhead a mile down.

Still I am hopeful, 76+ days later the 'government' will finally get something right.

The skimmer still won't stop the leak, and any bad weather (and it IS in hurricane season, right?) will hinder results.

But all of this could have been done months ago and almost all the oil would have never got near the beach! Yes all those dead critters and spoiled marshlands would be intact if only our government had moved (and yes that’s Obama I’m talking about.) Neither he nor the ones he appointed to fix this have displayed any dynamic decisive leadership.

So, between Hurricane Katrina, and this Obamawell, I am not hopeful our national government can be effective if say an earthquake struck San Francisco. I’m afraid they would turn it into a Chinese fire drill (and I apologize to any Chinese here as I think a Chinese firefighting unit would do better than our government does now!) and take years to even get the homeless a home!

And keep in mind we have spend so much money, gone so far in debt, with so little to show for it, that we really can’t afford a disaster like an earthquake in California (or maybe we could if California fell into the ocean with Pelosi in tow.)


Deaf

 

[MA-Caver]

I think this is one of those things that they need to work on concurrently. You can't just let the oil that will leak out spread out and kill the ecosystem until you've stopped the spill. Too much damage would happen.

There is nothing that would stop them from doing both at the same time.

Sure there is... pride, ego, money, waiting for the right moment to throw on the proverbial cape on their (narrow) shoulders and have the triumphant music playing in the background... Oh, wait... someone else is there to steal that thunder... I'll wait in the wings til they get done.

 

[geezer]

...Still I am hopeful, 76+ days later the 'government' will finally get something right... But all of this could have been done months ago and almost all the oil would have never got near the beach! Yes all those dead critters and spoiled marshlands would be intact if only our government had moved ...

Deaf, I'm honestly surprised that, as a conservative, you'd have ever expected that the government could effectively solve this problem. No, usually its the liberals who expect the government to solve things for them.

As for myself... I'm more of an all-round cynic. I don't think either BP and the oil industry or our government were capable of handling this, so the debate is moot. The government people actually admitted that early on, saying that BP and the oil industry had the best technology and expertise available to fix this spill. Looking back, it may seem like the government needed to take more operational control, but then again, I'm not so sure that having operational oversight by some government committee would have been such a great idea either. And under those circumstances, I can just imagine BP trying to blame the government for it's own inability to cap the spill.

Now conservatives may feel that it's just fair payback to equate the ineffective response to this spill to Bush's bumbling response to Katrina. I can appreciate that. But there is a huge difference. The government is in the business of disaster control and relief. It should have been able to more quickly mobilize and assist the hurricane victims. Evacuating people, providing emergency water and food rations, shelter, security, and so forth is not really comparable to doing something that we (apparently) don't have the technology to do yet like quickly capping this well blowout a mile under the sea.

So back to the OP about the super-skimmer. At this point, its worthwhile trying just about anything they can to mitigate the effects of the spill until they get the well shut off.

 

[zDom]

Now conservatives may feel that it's just fair payback to equate the ineffective response to this spill to Bush's bumbling response to Katrina. I can appreciate that. But there is a huge difference. The government is in the business of disaster control and relief. It should have been able to more quickly mobilize and assist the hurricane victims. Evacuating people, providing emergency water and food rations, shelter, security, and so forth is not really comparable to doing something that we (apparently) don't have the technology to do yet like quickly capping this well blowout a mile under the sea.

So, Obama's administration is simply "ineffective" in dealing with this

while Bush's was "bumbling", eh?

You really should send in your resume to one of the national media outlets. Or to the Jon Stewart show.


I'm just wondering why Obama hasn't parted the waters and plugged the leak with his ego.

He probably just doesn't want to yet. At least, not until he gets Cap and Trade pushed through.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Now conservatives may feel that it's just fair payback to equate the ineffective response to this spill to Bush's bumbling response to Katrina. I can appreciate that. But there is a huge difference. The government is in the business of disaster control and relief. It should have been able to more quickly mobilize and assist the hurricane victims. Evacuating people, providing emergency water and food rations, shelter, security, and so forth is not really comparable to doing something that we (apparently) don't have the technology to do yet like quickly capping this well blowout a mile under the sea.

Geezer,

Where I work I'm part of the Hazmat team (our Emergency Response Team) as well as our ‘Dr. Strong’ team.

We train for disasters. I can tell you the logistics side of taking care of 10,000 people is not something that can be done at a snap of the fingers by anyone except God. And no, I don't expect the government to be capable of any kind of good response to ANY SHORT TERM DISASTER.

Long term yes, but if there is an earthquake in San Francisco, or tsunami at Maui, or volcano eruption in Washington State, you are on your own. Maybe some state help and local, but by the time the federal government is finished with all their paperwork you would be dead.

I do not blame Bush for Katrina. The states didn’t ask for help, so he didn’t give it. That was the law. Once it was asked for, he gave it, but like I said, it would be slow due to the logistic side.

And he did not go down to the Gulf because he knew Airforce One would force all air traffic out and delay any help once they asked for it (Obama would have had no problem going down to the Gulf if it wasn't for some has-been Beatle and all those parties.)

I suspect BP also was given too much leeway by Obama and they didn’t communicate well at all for the first month or two (and that is a long time for that well to spew oil!!!) And that miscommunication along with their unwillingness to use foreign labor (politics you know) kept any kind of skimming ship from stopping the oil from drifting off.

But the key thing to remember is to BE PREPARED and don't depend on the government.

Deaf

 

[geezer]

Geezer, ... the key thing to remember is to BE PREPARED and don't depend on the government.

Pardon me for cutting straight to the bottom line, but now your talking sense!