Drilling for oil in the Bight.

[wireliner]

Been a lot talk about this in Adelaide and especially with the upcoming election. 99% of it being doom and gloom. The effects of Macondo (Deepwater Horizon was the rig), are still very fresh in peoples minds. 2 reasons why I think it is ok. A) Macondo was a collection of very bad decisions made by very bad people who wanted to save a dollar. It may happen again but very, very doubtful. The only way, is for the rig to penetrate a formation that has unimaginable pressures and they can't shut it in. Assuming the BOP's (Blowout Preventers)work, they can hold up to 30,000 psi. Deepwater Horizon's BOP's failed. Not due the pressure of the oil, due to the hydraulics failing. And B) I don't think they will drill it anyhow. Offshore drilling is, at least, 20 times the cost of an onshore well. New technology is finding oil and gas where none was thought to be. Drill 20 wells for the cost of 1. I know which way I'd go.

Just my humble opinion.

[markharrison]

A) Macondo was a collection of very bad decisions made by very bad people who wanted to save a dollar. It may happen again but very, very doubtful.

I know nothing about oil drilling or mineral exploration. I have worked in big business as an IT professional for the past 35 years.

If there is one thing I have learned in business life over that time; never underestimate stupidity and greed. When those two overlap -- and they frequently do -- bad things happen. And that is sugar-coating it!

[Tonyz]

Fishing industry over here will go to extraordinary limits to protect their livelihood, If gov and mining think they can walk this one in ...think again.
Why wont Norway allow mining in its own waters.

One local pollie thinks he has a safe seat, tell him he's dreamin and take off his stupid f***ing hat.

[rrich]

A friend who had been a drilling supervisor on Deep Water Horizon shared a report of some concerns with the tactics used on DWH with me. He was not on DWH at the time of the blowout but died a few years later of a heart attack.

I know nothing about deep water drilling (absolutely NOTHING) but reading that report told me a couple of things. First is that I don't want to be anywhere near an oil drilling platform. When drilling, there are no short cuts and not following procedures is like playing Russian Roulette with a semi-automatic pistol.

After reading the report, I deleted it as Cody requested.

[wireliner]

The film was pretty accurate. BP owned the well. They decide what and how it is drilled. They decide what testing should be done. Here, in Australia, it is illegal not to run a cement bond log. BP didn't on DWD. That may have saved the rig. The whole well program was doomed for failure. The casing schedule on wildcat well was grossly inadequate as was the cementing protocols. The rig went up in flames. Unfortunately, the casing didn't shoot out of the hole and push them clear.