Gorilla's Blog

BP again, taking the time honored path to avoid full responsibility!

“It was our rig, it was our spill, it was our fault!”

That’s what responsible non-cowards say.

Surely, you jest!

Sadly, this is the sort of thing we’ve come to expect in today’s America: the corporate interests who more or less run the country get the bad news out quickly, throw money at the problem, and pronounce themselves as pure as the driven slush!

Gorilla says: “He who leaks first laughs last!”

Back in the Gulf of Mexico, BP’s preparing for “static kill”, to be followed by relief wells, in an effort to plug up the worst environmental disaster in American history.

Of course one hopes these efforts will finish the job. But BP’s track record, and the government’s role as spokesman/stooge for Big Oil (“we can’t see anything, so it must be fine!”), does not promote high confidence.

If the efforts succeed, the immediate crisis will be over, but the damage to the Gulf will last for decades.

If the efforts fail, we’re more or less back to where we began.

Gorilla, never a man to put his money where his mouth is, predicts: “$2 on Worst Case Scenario to show!”

Well, the oil may still be leaking, or it may not!

But it’s clear that the relief wells are the answer, unless you’re already negotiating what to do if they’re not the answer.

Gorilla says: “The trimming goes on, the skimming not so much!”

The oil well is capped, but only for a couple of days, naturally it’s drinks all round at BP!

While the obvious question isn’t being asked (“Why’d it take nearly 3 months to get a proper cap in place?”) and the less obvious question isn’t being asked (“What if the relief wells don’t work?”), everyone seems very pleased so far.

Gorilla says: “If the cap works, then the crap starts, 20 years or more before the Gulf recovers and BP will pay only a pittance for the destruction!”

Oh boy, another cap, another hopeful sign of not very much progress, or then again, maybe it is!!!

Seems there must be integrity testing of the cap, whatever that means!

Given the previous history, and the fact that BP has been negotiating with the Feds in the event the still uncompleted relief wells don’t work, it seems likely that this one’s going nowhere, but stranger things have happened and ex-Admiral Fifth-Rate seems wildly confident.

Gorilla asks: “Which will come first, a jobs program or the end of the Gulf oil spill?”

BP is searching for money, mostly from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, while pretending that a big skimmer will make a big difference, but that’s not what’s really interesting about the latest disaster news:

“BP managing director Bob Dudley – one of the front runners to succeed Mr Hayward and the executive in charge of the Gulf operation – has revealed that the company is discussing contingency plans with the Obama administration if the relief wells fail. He said the two sides are exploring at least two other options to divert the flow.”

So, we’re already discussing the possibility that the relief wells won’t work. Guess those contingency plans are really solid!!!

Gorilla says: “BP has become the new Trichet: a boost of confidence will now come from more tar ball austerity!!!”