Extra Credit Assignment Energy Deepwater Horizon explosion

Deepwater Horizon
Name
Institution
Due Date
Deepwater Horizon
1. Which company owned the Deepwater Horizon oil platform?
Transocean Oil-drilling company.
2. Which company operated it?
BP was operating it.
3. John Hoffmeister was the former boss of which oil company
Shell America.
4. BP estimated that 4.7 million barrels of oil leaked into the gulf as a result of the spill
5. People who violate the safety zone around the booms are liable for a fine of $40,000
6. Describe the chemicals used to treat the oil spill, and some of the limitations of using them.
The chemicals used to treat the oil spill are known as Corexit and more than 4 million liters of the dispersant was deployed to treat the spill. Dispersants work by breaking down the oil into tiny globules which are then suspended in the water. However, the oil is still there.
Some of the limitations of using corexit include:
- Corexit does not treat the oil spill but only helps to hide it. The globules remain suspended in the water although cannot be seen with the naked eye.
- It affects the engines of the boats used in the cleanup by dissolving crucial rubber seals.
7. Do you think it is acceptable to only remove pollutants visible to the naked eye? Why?
No. Because it leaves more oil molecules suspended in the water. This affects aquatic as well as human life. It simply hides the real impact of the oil spill.
8. The former chairman of BP, who was forced to resign after the disaster, is Tony Hayward. Do you think this disaster would have been reacted to differently in any other way if the oil company and its boss were American, rather than foreign (British)? Why?
Yes. If the boss was American, I believe there would have been more pressure for him to resign. Pressure from the public as well as the government would have been more than Tony Hayward received.
9. The 33 deep water rigs in the Gulf of Mexico are subsided by the American taxpayer to the amount of $50 billion. Does this seem like a good use of public funds? Give reasons for your answer.
No.
Paying $50 billion to these companies to continue drilling even as they endanger people’s lives is not a good use of public funds.
The world is talking about a shift to renewable energy sources. So, this money should be i...