Oil Industry Celebrates Earth
Day in the Gulf of Mexico
by C. L. Cook
 At this hour, the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday, finally sinking two days later on Earth Day, April 22nd has left an oozing, uncapped well-head, oozing oil into the ocean. At least 11 workers are believed dead, while seventeen others are listed in critical condition. The rig is spewing oil into the Gulf at 1,000 barrels per day, while heavy weather has made containment efforts impossible.
The Financial Post (FP) reports, crude gushing from the BP (British Petroleum cum Beyond Petroleum) well. Local authorities had said earlier no oil was escaping the well. FP cites Steve Carleton, senior chief with the U.S. Coast Guard, and member of the so-called, Unified Command response team to the disaster saying;
"BP, the
responsible party, is required to fund the cost of the response and
clean-up operations." Adding; "We’re seeing steady flow
coming out of the piping. There is a 20 miles by 20 miles wide sheen about 40
miles from land."
Cost of the operation will too likely be offset by the Oil Spill
Liability Trust Fund. The Fund was created following the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989.
The Post also reports several law suits filed against BP and the rig owner, Transocean by injured workers, and the families of the dead.
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