“With the Coast Guard’s blessing…” begins the article in the Times Picayune by Rebecca Mowbray about the latest action being taken by BP to install a new sealing device, one that could allow the company to contain more oil or stop the flow entirely.

This is surprising since BP has never previously cared what Gulf Coast residents, the Coast Guard, the EPA or anyone else blesses or curses, instead always working from a position of damage control…and on second glance it would appear this is more of the same, a preventative in case something goes wrong with this most recent maneuver. “Hey, the Coast Guard said we could, they backed the plan!” shouted Scott Dudley as he was torn from his office and forced to consume tar balls on the streets of Venice, Louisiana.

Blessing or not, the containment cap was removed on Saturday, the beginning of a two day process that will have them replacing it Monday with a newer model, more tightly fitting, sexy. Though the new structure promises to be more effective in controlling the spill, for the next two days oil will again flow freely into the Gulf. Anticipating, BP has sent skimmers to work the surface of the water above the well, along with robots spraying more dispersants at the well-head, actions that will continue throughout this process. When completed, hopefully the new system works beyond everyone’s expectations, though even in a best case scenario it would be foolish for BP officials to hang around waiting for rousing cheers and thanks. People have suffered too much. Too much damage has been done and too many lives lost.

So what if the cap stops the spill, or for that matter, the relief wells?

Then the real work continues, cleaning up the oil and ensuring British Petroleum isn’t able to shirk their responsibility to the lives and livelihoods they’ve ruined. How’s the saying, “Time is short, but our memories are shorter?” Indeed, so all must keep BP in our minds. Fifteen years from now, chances are oil will still be surfacing in the Gulf of Mexico due to all the sprayed dispersants so I hope everyone involved in the explosion of the Deepawater Horizon is used to harsh words. They will be hearing them for a long time to come and yes, they do deserve it. If they hadn’t cut safety corners in the first place this could have all been avoided.

But for now, we all watch, waiting to see how the new cap works, hoping BP can fit it on the remnants of the well and hoping for the best result, cautiously and skeptically.

Good luck.

Read the article…

BP removes containment cap in preparation…Rebecca Mowbray – Times Picayune

Have a nice day.