BP asks for government bailout to fix bleeding well...

You have to be effing kidding me! One of the richest corporations in the world wants our government to help fix their eff up?! How about a $10mil/day fine? That might HELP inspire them to fix it...

BP open to military help for Gulf oil spill



By Cain Burdeau - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Apr 29, 2010 8:26:03 EDT
NEW ORLEANS — A massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is even worse than believed and as the government grows concerned that the rig’s operator is ill-equipped to contain it, officials are offering a military response to try to avert a massive environmental disaster along the ecologically fragile coastline.


Speaking Thursday on NBC’s “Today” show, an executive for BP PLC, which operated the oil rig that exploded and sank last week, said the company would welcome help from the military.


“We’ll take help from anyone,” BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said.
But time may be running out. Not only was a third leak discovered — which government officials said is spewing five times as much oil into the water than originally estimated — but it might be closer to shore than previously known, and could have oil washing up on shore by Friday.

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http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/04/ap_military_gulf_mexico_oil_spill_042910/

Actually I listened to the interview of Doug Suttles this morning. He did NOT ask for government bailout help.

What he said was he was open to take any assistance from any firm or agency. He specifically said "we will take help..." but he did not say he was asking for the government or the military to step in.

Big difference.

Another misleading post by Rob.

Melensdad said:

Actually I listened to the interview of Doug Suttles this morning. He did NOT ask for government bailout help.

What he said was he was open to take any assistance from any firm or agency. He specifically said "we will take help..." but he did not say he was asking for the government or the military to step in.

Big difference.

Another misleading post by Rob.

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So he goes on national TV, and says he would welcome help from the military, and you don't think that's the same as asking for help? That's rather naive.

Has this type of thing ever happened before?
I don't see this as a 'bailout' as that implies we throw money at the problem. They appear to be asking for engineering know how and perhaps special equipment which might help get the job done.

To simplify it, when I plumb a kitchen sink I put a shut off valve at the bottom of the supply line. Wouldn't you think they would do something like that near the ocean floor where these things are drilled. I understand it is miles down but I'm envisioning it could be put on the caseing before it is sank into place for the drilling. Caveat, I'm not an engineer ...and totally speculating here but I think you get my drift.
I wonder if this leak is in the pipe caseing / broke off pipe or all the way down on the ocean floor?
When an environmental disaster is happening right before our eyes, I applaud BP not being to proud to ask for help. Perhaps they would have to pay but while the emergency is happening you want to get it fixed ASAP and sort out the other stuff later. JMHO.

RobsanX said:

So he goes on national TV, and says he would welcome help from the military, and you don't think that's the same as asking for help? That's rather naive.

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Did he go to the media or did they come to him? There are numerous reports which state the government is growing concerned and offering help. You claim that "BP asks for government bailout ..." Seems to me taking help is different than asking for it. Seems to me that media asking questions is different than "going on national TV"

Rather misleading statements on your part, don't you think?

Doc said:

To simplify it, when I plumb a kitchen sink I put a shut off valve at the bottom of the supply line. Wouldn't you think they would do something like that near the ocean floor where these things are drilled. I understand it is miles down but I'm envisioning it could be put on the caseing before it is sank into place for the drilling. Caveat, I'm not an engineer ...and totally speculating here but I think you get my drift.
I wonder if this leak is in the pipe caseing / broke off pipe or all the way down on the ocean floor?

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I don't know the exact condition of the well head, but a blowout preventer is not a flimsy piece of equipment. If they couldn't stop the leak there, then things must be pretty bad...

From what I read I see nothing about money, BP asking for assistance may be just that and is willing to pay for that assistance??? Just a thought, either way I am sure they will pay a fine.

I think we shouldn't squabble over the issue. Get people in there, fix it as fast as possible and as efficiently as possible. Send BP the bill - if they don't pay the bill - seize all their US assets and sell them off to cover the debt.

Why do we have to make this more complicated than it needs to be.

PBinWA said:

I think we shouldn't squabble over the issue. Get people in there, fix it as fast as possible and as efficiently as possible. Send BP the bill - if they don't pay the bill - seize all their US assets and sell them off to cover the debt.

Why do we have to make this more complicated than it needs to be.

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Ditto

I think President Obama is reading our forums!

By JULIE PACE, Associated Press Writer Julie Pace, Associated Press Writer – 55 mins ago
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration says the cost of cleaning up a giant oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico will fall on BP PLC, the company that operated the rig.
White House spokesman Nick Shapiro says President Barack Obama has directed his administration to aggressively confront the oil spill. The military is working to determine how its array of aircraft, ships and equipment might be able to assist the cleanup operation.
The spill off the coast of Louisiana threatens to turn into an environmental disaster for the coastline.
Shapiro says Obama was updated on the spill early Thursday. Although the Coast Guard and other federal agencies are supporting the cleanup, Shapiro says BP will be required to pay for it.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100429/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_oil_rig_explosion_obama

PBinWA said:

I think we shouldn't squabble over the issue. Get people in there, fix it as fast as possible and as efficiently as possible. Send BP the bill - if they don't pay the bill - seize all their US assets and sell them off to cover the debt.

Why do we have to make this more complicated than it needs to be.

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Agree.

Agreed the call is for technical assistance nothing to do with a bailout.

Have not been watching this closely but I understand there is a 800K lb structure sitting over the hole on the seafloor 5K feet down. And the thing does not have a shutoff valve on it.

I dunno if the jump from 1K bbl/day to now 5K/bbl day is an estimating error or the attempts to plug the leak has made it worse...

In any case the USN likely has heavy lift hardware adequate to the task, getting to the site might take awhile...

Who pays?? Try aa a a the consumer...

grizzer said:

Who pays?? Try aa a a the consumer...

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Sad but true.