BP Has Solved Our Oil Problem 20100607

(9AM EST – promoted by Nightprowlkitty)

BP has reported today yesterday (-Sunday- Monday) that they collected 6100 10,000 barrels of oil in the past 24 hours.  This is stupendous!  (Note:  the volume changes.  It was over 10,000 in 24 hours now, but that just reinforces my point).

If this is correct, and it seems to be, if they can tune their collection device a bit more, they can collect more, perhaps much more.  You do not understand the ramifications of this development.  If correct, BP will go down in history as the most important cog in the wheel of energy independence ever for the United States.  Please allow me to elaborate.

Using the numbers that BP has provided, the wellhead that was ruptured (and the one that the blowout preventor did not seal because of poor design of the caisson, neglect to repair failing hydraulic lines, and failed maintenance of replacing batteries in the unit) was spilling out 1000 barrels of oil per day.

Well, in the second week that was revised to 5000, which is still BP’s official figure at this writing.  Now comes the amazing part.

Yesterday Today, BP reported that it collected around 6000 10,000 barrels of oil from the wellhead with its new cap and collect system.  Now, this is a world changing system.  Even with a 5:6 1:2 ratio, creation of oil from water is a new, and heretofore, never demonstrated new technology.

BP is not just drilling oil, they are creating it!  To recover 6000 10,000 barrels from a 5000 barrel leak is nothing short of magick.  We need more of this!  If they can make their magick cap even more efficient, maybe they can double the output, making oil from seawater.  This is a breakthrough!

Let us do the maths.  If BP can improve the efficiency of its water-to-oil converter to say, three to one, the United States could become oil independent with around 10,000 wells spilling oil into our waterways, but that is a small price to pay.  Drill, baby, drill, and spill as much as possible, if those converters are catching some of it!  Let’s roll!

I learned today that BP is planning to install an even better, more efficient water to oil magickal device next month to increase the conversion of water to oil.  Woohoo!  More and better!

You who read my posts regularly know two things.  First, I am a scientist and do not believe in fairy tales.  Second, you know that satire is not my usual mode of communication, but I made an exception this time.

The facts are that BP has consistently underestimated the severity of this rupture.  First it was 1000 barrels per day, then 5000 (where it still stands), and independent observers say it is closer to 15,000 or 20,000, and perhaps more.  I was being satirical to say that they are creating oil.  The are leaking it, severely.

Another fact is that the cap being used now is not very efficient, or they would not make a new one.  Now, it seems to me that they will have to remove the one that is currently working a bit to make way for the “new and better” one.  Let us hope that it indeed does work better.

I wrote the first draft Saturday evening, and the figures have changed that much since then.  Now BP is collecting twice what they estimated was being released, and the release into the gulf is still enormous.  This firm needs serious examination, and in my opinion, criminal prosecution, civil actions, and popular persecution.

That little worm of a CEO needs to find a perp walk, be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and fined heavily and also imprisoned, and the other BP officials responsible for this need that treatment as well.  I do not often advocate harsh punishment, but in this case I do.  BP should be disassembled, piece by piece.  I know that this will affect the shareholders who have some retirement money in mutual funds that hold BP, but that should not stop the Feds from prosecuting.  Other energy companies will buy the assets, so some value will be returned at least to the bondholders, probably.

I am less interested in the sequalae of the demise of BP as a corporation than I am with the sequalae of the damage that this preventable blowout has (and has yet to) cause.  We are only feeling the tip of the disaster in the gulf, and it will get worse.  I take no pleasure in making these statements.  They are just very unfortunate facts.

I know that this post is a little rough, but I am sort of passionate about the topic.  I lived in the New Orleans area for quite a while, and understand the impact on the economy in the region, not to mention the 11 dead men and the devastation all along the gulf coast, as well, as is likely, the eastern Atlantic coast and even the British Islands.

Warmest regards,

Doc

Crossposted at Dailykos.com