Ahhhh... the sweet smell of petroleum

[itschris]

I think part of the problem is that whether it's a forest fire, oil spill, or whatever has the potential to get worse or is time sensitive as to the amount of devesastation in life or property or environment... the reaction is always waaaaaayyyy too slow. Now BP is welcoming the military's help. Why don't you just attack the situation with overwhelming force from the beginning and nip in the bud. Forest fire? Get 10x the amount of guys you need and knock it out as opposed to haveing to add more each week for the next 6 weeks you fight end up having to fight it. Coal mine disaster? Don't get one machine to drill one vent hole... get a dozen drilling 12. I just don't get it.

 

[Gizmologist]

b;owouts preventers

The well DOES have a massive blowout preventer to seal the well head, BUT the system has to be controlled topside and due to the explosion, the control links were damaged. There are ROVS at the 5,000 ft depth trying to manually operate the valves. This is a difficult maneuver due to the design of the valve. This type of situation was not anticipated. I am sure a redesign after this event will be rapidly deployed.

No safety system is foolproof. Just as some hotshot behind the wheel brags "I am a great driver, I can always handle dangerous situations. (he is usually the CAUSE).

This was a very complex floating system and there is just so much you can do in controlling Mother nature.

 

[majorloser]

The second perfect Florida day ruined by the nasty smell of oil... presumably from the slick out in the Gulf. Yesterday it was worse, my nose was actully stinging after being outside for an hour or so at lunch.

The problem is you live on the wrong side of Florida

 

[jamie2112]

The problem is you live on the wrong side of Florida

Hehehehehe now thats funny for the thread...Dave I like it.......alot.. way to keep some fun in a bad situation.I am sorry to hear today of the large scale of oil now being said to be worse than Valdez.........oh hell

 

[jamie2112]

I thought Gene and Clint stopped taking your calls.

Never those guys freakin love me ............

 

[gmichael]

I think part of the problem is that whether it's a forest fire, oil spill, or whatever has the potential to get worse or is time sensitive as to the amount of devesastation in life or property or environment... the reaction is always waaaaaayyyy too slow. Now BP is welcoming the military's help. Why don't you just attack the situation with overwhelming force from the beginning and nip in the bud. Forest fire? Get 10x the amount of guys you need and knock it out as opposed to haveing to add more each week for the next 6 weeks you fight end up having to fight it. Coal mine disaster? Don't get one machine to drill one vent hole... get a dozen drilling 12. I just don't get it.

Money makes the world go round....

 

[mtrycrafts]

I hope the air clears soon.

Well, if the wind shifts, that will happen Otherwise, it will get worse as the spill is worse then first stated.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Of course Obama didn't do it... Rahm did!

Seriously... the conspiracy theory was a joke. We were discussing it this morning about how no one has come up with any yet like they did with 9/11 saying Bush planned the whoe thing. It was a lighthearted result of a deeper conversation.

Deeper? 5000 ft or so? Much more oil is leaking than first stated

 

[ArthurPE]

can't have it both ways...
perfect enviornment and 10 mpg SUV's

polluted land and dead animals or a trip to walmart to ship more $$$ to China...I'm going to walmart, screw the ones left behind when I croak...every man (or woman) for himself (or herself)...I'm wasting every possible commodity/resource I can...screw 'em

 

[GO-NAD!]

The problem is you live on the wrong side of Florida

I wonder how pervasive that smell is. I'll be in Disneyworld next week. Hope it isn't going that far. That would be a bummer.

More importantly, I hope they can get a grip on this spill soon. This could make the Exon Valdez pale in comparison.

 

[itschris]

I don't smell anything anymore Go-Nad. I actually read that the smell wasn't the oil slick at all, but no one can seem to to cinfirm or deny. It's odd. It definately smelled lke a quart of oil. Orlando is north and east of where I'm at. I'm essentially right on the water. I can see the bay from my office window and my house is in north Pinellas County about 5 minutes from the Gulf. I think you're plenty far enough away in Orlando which is about 2 hourse or so from me. And like I said... I don't smell anything anymore so have a great time in O-town!

 

[majorloser]

I wonder how pervasive that smell is. I'll be in Disneyworld next week. Hope it isn't going that far. That would be a bummer.

More importantly, I hope they can get a grip on this spill soon. This could make the Exon Valdez pale in comparison.

Shouldn't be a problem. The winds are predominantly out of the South or Southeast during the spring and summer times. I'm about 60 mile due East of DW and I can't smell anything.

Here's your officlal weather for the Didnah Whirl:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Bay+Lake&state=FL&site=MLB&textField1=28.3889&textField2=-81.5763

 

[GO-NAD!]

Shouldn't be a problem. The winds are predominantly out of the South or Southeast during the spring and summer times. I'm about 60 mile due East of DW and I can't smell anything.

Here's your officlal weather for the Didnah Whirl:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Bay+Lake&state=FL&site=MLB&textField1=28.3889&textField2=-81.5763

I had a look at that forecast. 90 frickin' degrees!!! I'm gonna die!!

 

[majorloser]

I had a look at that forecast. 90 frickin' degrees!!! I'm gonna die!!

"Welcome to Central Florida"

 

[lsiberian]

I had a look at that forecast. 90 frickin' degrees!!! I'm gonna die!!

That's cold I admit, but in Florida the humidity helps it feel more cozy at 90 degrees.

 

[Gizmologist]

here in the Long beach area

We have thousands of producing wells all over SoCal even in the middle of Beverly Hills on a school campus. we have the petroleum docks in the ports. When the air movement, humidity and temperature are just right, you can easily smell a funky odor from the oil.

SoCal is riddled with thousands of miles of pipelines that run from storage farms to refineries to depots carrying all levels of crude, refined oils and even gasoline. It is not too uncommon for the air in a given area to be permeated with the smell.

In one section of town a few year ago we had fumesand fire erupting from gutters, manholes, curbs, light pole stanchions in the middle of parking lots etc as the flammable fumes had permeated the ground for an area of about 10 city blocks. To this day you can still detect the odor in some areas.

I can imagine what the coast dwellers will be dealing with shortly and with summer heat, oh joy.