# Is BP Doing Enough To Clean Up The Oil Spill? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 1, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962 "2010-05-01T14:14:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/1 "2010-05-01T14:14:27Z")
To me, they seem inadequate to the task. Maybe I am ignorant. Is BP really doing enough to clean up all this oil? Is there really nothing anybody else connected with BP can do about this? ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/2 "2010-05-01T14:26:17Z")
From all that I have read/heard, BP is using all it has against this spill, and has gone ‘on record’ as saying they" will take any and all help offered". The big thing (of repair) is the depth of the spill (~a ton/sq-inch at that depth, iirc) and the wreckage around the ‘hole’ down there. Never happened before and no in-place eqpt to deal with it whatsoever (I think). [This](http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fix-20100501,0,323202,full.story) recent article has some decent info about it. HTH. Seeing the pics of booms not working or pushed ashore due to choppy waters is certainly not giving good hope, IMO. This really, really sucks environmentally speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/3 "2010-05-01T14:45:57Z")
Maybe [not](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6983577.html). > [@](#): > > As oil began lapping onto Louisiana shores Friday, threatening marshes, wildlife and commercial fishing operations, top federal and state officials levied sharp criticism at BP for what they characterized as the company’s inadequate response to the growing spill in the Gulf of Mexico. > > Interior Secretary Ken Salazar insisted the company needed to work “harder, faster and smarter to get the job done,” as choppy sea conditions curtailed efforts to collect oil floating on the surface of the water and as final preparations were under way for the potentially months-long process of drilling a relief well. But the government also needs to get on BP’s case to prevent the next disasters the company’s policies will cause. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/4 "2010-05-01T15:08:36Z")
You know, if I had built an oil rig on my property and it blew up and started spewing raw crude everywhere, I don’t think the government would leave me free to roam around while they just ask politely that I clean up the mess. If corporations are legally “persons”, why hasn’t BP been arrested and put in jail yet? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/5 "2010-05-01T15:27:14Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > To me, they seem inadequate to the task. How about you give them some time? It’s not been that long. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/6 "2010-05-01T15:28:19Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > How about you give them some time? It’s not been that long. But it is already so terribly bad. Then again, from here I don’t have much choice. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/7 "2010-05-01T15:30:28Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > if I had built an oil rig on my property and it blew up and started spewing raw crude everywhere, I don’t think the government would leave me free to roam around while they just ask politely that I clean up the mess. That’s exactly what happens. Except possibly for the polite part. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/8 "2010-05-01T16:05:45Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > How about you give them some time? It’s not been that long. How long would be right? They are spewing thousands of gallons of oil into fisheries and now the shore of a couple states. It makes people a little impatient to see oil covered birds, black shrimp and oil washing over the beaches. Damage is being done. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/9 "2010-05-01T16:16:45Z")
BP executives should be on site, swallowing as much oil as they can. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/10 "2010-05-01T16:25:52Z")
If you think they are not doing enough what else do you think they are capable of doing? They are using all the resources they have. They are begging anyone else they can to help. They have certainly created a problem beyond their control. They are inadequate to stop it. They are also on site trying to stop it. While ‘locking them up’ might make people feel good that would be a lot less resources available to try and stop the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/11 "2010-05-01T18:01:22Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > If you think they are not doing enough what else do you think they are capable of doing? > > They are using all the resources they have. They are begging anyone else they can to help. > > They have certainly created a problem beyond their control. They are inadequate to stop it. > > They are also on site trying to stop it. While ‘locking them up’ might make people feel good that would be a lot less resources available to try and stop the problem. So you’re saying that the CEO and all the board members and the people who made the decisions that led to this mess are all out in the Gulf right now, sleeves rolled up and covered in filth, as they work to stop this? Are you saying you think they are making calls 24/7 to draw together enough resources, tech know-ho, and experts to stop this? And they still can’t? And you don’t think they should be in jail? If I start a fire, even if I put it out, I go to jail. When will we see a corporation put in jail? If not for this, then what? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/12 "2010-05-01T18:16:49Z")
I think about all those beautiful [white](http://www.leapingfromthebox.com/blog/uploaded_images/seagrass-741675.jpg) [sand](http://www.apalachicolabay.org/image/photoAlbum/Heron%20on%20Beach%20Bickel.jpg) [beaches](http://www.seaturtlesatrisk.org/leatherback%20turtle.gif) on the Gulf Coast and I get really depressed at what is about to happen to them. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/13 "2010-05-01T18:31:08Z")
Okay. So, physically, how can we cap the leak? How can it be done? ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/14 "2010-05-01T18:40:39Z")
Couldn’t we pipe down something like that fast expanding foam that you can use for tyre emergencies? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/15 "2010-05-01T19:19:03Z")
I just saw where BP is trying to get gov’t approval to pipe some of the stuff that breaks up floating oil slicks down to the leaks. Not sure what that will do except maybe give us a pre-broken oil slick. I also saw where they are trying (or will try) to put a hood over the leak so they can pump the oil instead of letting it just drift all over the GoM. The ABC News report I saw said that it weeks away and that drilling a new hole, after it’s been hooded, will take at least 3 months. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/16 "2010-05-01T21:02:59Z")
I wonder if there is any way to smother it. Barge-loads of gravel and stone, funneled down on top of the hole in a heaping cone? A very large ship (perhaps donated by BP?) sunk and guided over the hole with cranes to either plug it or act as a kind of giant funnel until something better can be done? Meh, what do I know about capping wells? I do know this is a serious tragedy. It is freaking me out and I’m taking it out on all these dopers… ---
**Author:** ![randy054](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@randy054](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randy054)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/17 "2010-05-01T21:18:41Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > So you’re saying that the CEO and all the board members and the people who made the decisions that led to this mess are all out in the Gulf right now, sleeves rolled up and covered in filth, as they work to stop this? > > Are you saying you think they are making calls 24/7 to draw together enough resources, tech know-ho, and experts to stop this? And they still can’t? And you don’t think they should be in jail? > > If I start a fire, even if I put it out, I go to jail. > > When will we see a corporation put in jail? > > If not for this, then what? When it comes to corporations, accidents and ignorance is ok even though they lay claim to personhood. Accidents and Ignorance from a single person is never ok. Examples to mind come, ignorance of the law is no excuse, or in thier case, ignorance of the potentials for disaster they failed to see is ok. Killing someone accidentally is involuntary manslaugter, but killing eleven oil rig workers is ok. ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/18 "2010-05-01T21:20:08Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I just saw where BP is trying to get gov’t approval to pipe some of the stuff that breaks up floating oil slicks down to the leaks. Not sure what that will do except maybe give us a pre-broken oil slick. > > I also saw where they are trying (or will try) to put a hood over the leak so they can pump the oil instead of letting it just drift all over the GoM. The ABC News report I saw said that it weeks away and that drilling a new hole, after it’s been hooded, will take at least 3 months. I think the idea there is to get the oil to break up into smaller droplets so the rate of migration from seabed to surface is slowed down and more oil will remain suspended in the sea and broken down more qucikly (surface area to mass thing of small droplets) The hood is independent of drilling relief wells, the rigs are mobilising and well planning is under way for two relief wells ( a primary and back up relief well) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/19 "2010-05-01T21:28:16Z")
> [@randy054](#): > > When it comes to corporations, accidents and ignorance is ok even though they lay claim to personhood. Accidents and Ignorance from a single person is never ok. If my car blows up while I’m driving down the street, and there’s no indication that I was doing anything wrong nor had any reason to believe my car would spontaneously explode, I’m in the clear. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962/20 "2010-05-01T21:38:19Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > If my car blows up while I’m driving down the street, and there’s no indication that I was doing anything wrong nor had any reason to believe my car would spontaneously explode, I’m in the clear. This is not at all an apt comparison. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bp-doing-enough-to-clean-up-the-oil-spill/537962.md?page=2)