In the past ten years, our country has faced numerous disasters that have had a significant impact on our economy, society, and finances. One such crisis occurred in the Gulf of Mexico when British Petroleum’s underwater pipeline called Deepwater Horizon suffered a catastrophic failure. As a result, hundreds of thousands of barrels of petroleum were being released into the ocean every day. Currently, BP is working to address this issue by building a relief pipeline and taking full responsibility for the damage caused by their faulty pipeline.
Despite President Barack Obama calling for BP to take responsibility and cover all necessary reparations for the oil spill, he is not absolving himself of responsibility. He is working slowly to clean the Gulf and fix the underwater pipeline, with assistance from resources like the National Guard and coast guard. State governors are also actively involved in preventing further damage to their shores.
President Obama is considering enacting a moratorium on oil drilling in order to solve the problem in the Gulf and prevent permanent damage. He must take drastic action while being careful not to damage the already fragile United States.
Currently, President Obama is organizing efforts to sanitize the Gulf and prevent further damage to the nation’s economy and ecosystems. British Petroleum is waiting for a bill while the President has plans to clean the Gulf and protect the nation’s economy.
President Obama has mobilized nearly “30,000 personnel” across four states to contain and clean up the oil in the gulf (“President Obama’s”). He has established a task force that aims to protect the shorelines, wildlife, and clean the water. Moreover, President Obama has authorized the deployment of more than “17,000 National Guard members” along the coast (“President Obama’s”).
Barack Obama is taking charge of the gulf-saving initiative and displaying effective leadership by rallying substantial assistance for the cleanup operation. The objective is to confine the leak within a few weeks; otherwise, it may necessitate until 2012 to finalize the cleanup process. Presently, there are 600 endangered animal species (Xinhua). Beyond rectifying the Deepwater Horizon situation, safeguarding the ecosystem and averting any further damage are crucial priorities.
Scientists are currently studying the effects of deep sea oil plumes on marine life and the ocean. They are also gathering information to better prepare for future disasters involving deepwater pipelines. In addition, researchers are working on developing a safer dispersant to aid in cleaning up oil spills. However, despite these efforts, many ecosystems and species continue to suffer greatly from this widespread oil spill. To prevent future spills of similar scale, President Obama has imposed a temporary prohibition on deepwater drilling until a more efficient method is developed.
President Obama has stopped all oil and gas operations after the explosion, but there will be exceptions for drilling in water less than 500 feet deep, according to the New York Times. This shows President Obama’s proactive measures to avoid future disasters. Despite possible economic consequences such as increased gas prices while operations are suspended, Obama is prioritizing our future by giving time for safer methods of deepwater drilling to be created.
President Obama has been overseeing our nation’s response to the ongoing Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which has caused a disaster. The malfunction of the rig released hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf more than two months ago. This spill is anticipated to have severe consequences, as extensive areas of the ocean are now contaminated with oil. Consequently, several laws, such as the Clean Water Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Endangered Species Act, and Oil Pollution Act, have been violated (Obama Launches).
Both British Petroleum and Transocean are being held accountable for the Gulf oil spill. Transocean, as the rig owner and operator, and British Petroleum, as the owner of the well responsible for the spill, both share equal responsibility for the devastation in the Gulf. Legal actions are underway against them as they face pressure to address all damages caused by the oil spill. The cleanup costs have already exceeded $1 billion and are expected to increase further. Executives from BP and Transocean are attempting to shift blame onto others due to the significant expenses they need to bear. Additionally, they must compensate states along the Gulf of Mexico for extensive damage inflicted on coastal areas and wildlife.
President Obama addressed the issue of people’s livelihoods in shoreline states during his speech. He expressed his worry for individuals such as shrimpers, fishermen, shop owners, and hotel owners who were facing difficulties in supporting their families and businesses. Additionally, he noted that even areas unaffected by the oil spill were experiencing empty docks and restaurants. The decline in fishing and tourism had left many without a dependable source of income. Consequently, Obama emphasized the importance of implementing safer deep ocean oil drilling as a possible remedy.
To prevent future oil disasters, all deep water operations in the Gulf of Mexico must undergo immediate inspections. New permits for drilling new wells will only be granted after a 30-day review of safety and environmental concerns. Furthermore, safety and environmental protocols for oil and gas exploration and development will be evaluated. British Petroleum is currently making efforts to halt and manage the ongoing oil spill at a depth of 5,000 feet beneath the ocean surface.
British Petroleum successfully utilized a remote-controlled underwater robot from the ocean’s surface to reach a depth of 5,000 feet beneath the ocean surface. The primary objective of the robot was to execute two precise cuts on the pipe, enabling a cap attached to a riser to redirect the oil towards recovery ships. This cap effectively reduced the amount of oil being discharged into the ocean (Obama Launches). Additionally, British Petroleum conducted an operation referred to as the “Junk shot,” involving injecting various materials like rubber tire shards and golf balls into the well in an attempt to address the oil spill (Christian Science). However, this action presented risks for another procedure known as “top kill,” which aimed at halting the oil flow by pumping drilling mud at a high rate (Christian Science). Regrettably, top kill proved unsuccessful.
According to Bob Dunley, the managing director of British Petroleum (BP), they have acknowledged that their best strategy for addressing the oil spill is containment and collection at the source until a relief well becomes available in August. BP currently relies solely on relief wells to stop the oil spill. Despite unsuccessful attempts at other procedures, successful ones continue to help mitigate this ongoing disaster (Christian Science).
Despite the urgent need for an effective solution to prevent permanent damage, both the Gulf of Mexico and the United States are still dealing with the aftermath of the spill. Throughout this time, Obama has focused on speeding up the cleanup process while British Petroleum has been delaying payment for the extensive expenses incurred. In order to protect water and shorelines as much as possible, Obama has assembled a significant team and used his political influence to reduce the chances of future oil spills. However, British Petroleum’s efforts to stop the oil leak have not been successful.
British Petroleum has been slow to repair the Deepwater Horizon and plans to take more time to finish the job. Meanwhile, coastal states are seeing significant revenue declines due to the ongoing disaster. These states anxiously await the oil spill cleanup so they can resume receiving their previous income. Overall, both our nation and neighboring countries along the Gulf of Mexico are facing substantial financial losses from this spill. At this moment, all we can do is endure this catastrophe and maintain our optimism, as we have done before.
