Cleaning up the oil spill, enlightenment by hillbillies!

[PQ]

They had this on our local news when they did it.

It's great that there are people trying to get proactive and find a plan of action instead of sit around a bitch about it. There will be time for bitching later.

But I doubt we have enough hay or hair to soak up that much oil. There are more effective methods.

[Steve Dallas]

Originally Posted by PQ

They had this on our local news when they did it.

It's great that there are people trying to get proactive and find a plan of action instead of sit around a bitch about it. There will be time for bitching later.

But I doubt we have enough hay or hair to soak up that much oil. There are more effective methods.

So you'd rather find a way of automatically picking this stuff up?

Manually doing it may be the only way, because it's faster.

[Xanthos]

I think this would be a good way to get the oil thats near the top. But two things to think about:

1) nothing will be worth the time until the leaking oil is stopped.

2) as said before, unprocessed oil is not always less dense than water. So, don't expect this to be a magic "fix it" solution. It could get some of the oil, but not all of it.
- X

P.S. - PQ, we have a LOT of hay. And the capability of producing a lot more of it very quickly. Personally, I think its a good idea that merits considering, keeping in mind the two points above.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallas

So you'd rather find a way of automatically picking this stuff up?

Manually doing it may be the only way, because it's faster.

In this case, automatic would definately be quicker. hahahaha

Originally Posted by Xanthos

I think this would be a good way to get the oil thats near the top. But two things to think about:

1) nothing will be worth the time until the leaking oil is stopped.

2) as said before, unprocessed oil is not always less dense than water. So, don't expect this to be a magic "fix it" solution. It could get some of the oil, but not all of it.
- X

P.S. - PQ, we have a LOT of hay. And the capability of producing a lot more of it very quickly. Personally, I think its a good idea that merits considering, keeping in mind the two points above.

You think it would be cost effective? You'd need to haul it by the truck load. Then disperse it, then skim it, then haul it away. As opposed to skiming straight from the source and hauling away. From what I understand, they have on site skimmers that don't need hay.

[Xanthos]

Originally Posted by PQ

In this case, automatic would definately be quicker. hahahaha

You think it would be cost effective? You'd need to haul it by the truck load. Then disperse it, then skim it, then haul it away. As opposed to skiming straight from the source and hauling away. From what I understand, they have on site skimmers that don't need hay.

I honestly don't know whether it would be as cost effective. How many times would you need to skim without hay vs with hay? How much time would it save (also a big factor)? There are a lot of variables.
- X

[5thGenCamaroChick]

I don't see how cost effectiveness plays a part in this, really. I don't care how much it costs BP to clean this mess up. If they were to find diamonds are the most effective means of removing oil from water then I expect BP to spend every last penny mining diamonds until the gulf is clean, even if the CEOs have to sell their watches to fund it.

As for the hay shortage I'll say 2 things: 1.There are many different types of hay that can't be used as animal feed that could possibly used in this situation and 2. You said "nationwide" hay shortage. BP can buy it somewhere else and bring it over. Don't tell me they'll go bankrupt, we're talking about a HUGE oil company with MEGA deep pockets.

About the below surface oil - how about encasing the hay in something like a giant mesh pillowcase and using weights to suspend it below the surface into the current for a while, then picking it up with ships. Kindof like a giant lobster trap, only on a larger, more sophisticated scale?

[PQ]

Originally Posted by Xanthos

I honestly don't know whether it would be as cost effective. How many times would you need to skim without hay vs with hay? How much time would it save (also a big factor)? There are a lot of variables.
- X

From what I've read (I know, not everything you read is true) they have skimmers that can pick up oil at a rate of 67 thousand barrels per day running efficiently. And they have a number of them. Like you, I don't know.

Originally Posted by 5thGenCamaroChick

I don't see how cost effectiveness plays a part in this, really. I don't care how much it costs BP to clean this mess up.

Don't tell me they'll go bankrupt, we're talking about a HUGE oil company with MEGA deep pockets.

Cost effectiveness will come into play when BP files bankruptcy and stops paying all together. (Have you seen the trade value right now in Europe?) Then you and me and the rest of us get to pay for it. Which is also why the BP boycott is so stupid. It takes money straight out of the private American business owners pocket AND puts BP closer to colapse. You may think BP has all the money in the world, but if they file for BR then they don't pay anything anymore.

Cost effectiveness is definately an important factor.

New York Times financial reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin notes that many industry watchers doubt BP can survive. Rivals Exxon and Shell are already circling like buzzards in anticipation that the company may stagger into oblivion. Or, as Sorkin puts it, they're "licking their chops" hoping to acquire a BP in bankruptcy: "Flinty legal minds are dreaming up scenarios in which BP would file a prepackaged bankruptcy and separate the costs of clean-up — and potentially billions of dollars in legal claims — into a separate corporate entity."

[Brokinarrow]

Originally Posted by 5thGenCamaroChick

I don't see how cost effectiveness plays a part in this, really. I don't care how much it costs BP to clean this mess up. If they were to find diamonds are the most effective means of removing oil from water then I expect BP to spend every last penny mining diamonds until the gulf is clean, even if the CEOs have to sell their watches to fund it.

As for the hay shortage I'll say 2 things: 1.There are many different types of hay that can't be used as animal feed that could possibly used in this situation and 2. You said "nationwide" hay shortage. BP can buy it somewhere else and bring it over. Don't tell me they'll go bankrupt, we're talking about a HUGE oil company with MEGA deep pockets.

About the below surface oil - how about encasing the hay in something like a giant mesh pillowcase and using weights to suspend it below the surface into the current for a while, then picking it up with ships. Kindof like a giant lobster trap, only on a larger, more sophisticated scale?

Just get crews to go around and rake the extra grass off people's yards when they mow. Same effect (I think?) as using hay. Get a volunteer force to haul it all where it needs to go. And then send all bills to BP

[RedJewel2SS]

Originally Posted by PQ

From what I've read (I know, not everything you read is true) they have skimmers that can pick up oil at a rate of 67 thousand barrels per day running efficiently. And they have a number of them. Like you, I don't know.

Cost effectiveness will come into play when BP files bankruptcy and stops paying all together. (Have you seen the trade value right now in Europe?) Then you and me and the rest of us get to pay for it. Which is also why the BP boycott is so stupid. It takes money straight out of the private American business owners pocket AND puts BP closer to colapse. You may think BP has all the money in the world, but if they file for BR then they don't pay anything anymore.

Cost effectiveness is definately an important factor.

67 thousand bbls/day out of one skimmer sounds a little extreme.

BP won't file for bankruptcy, even with the recent drop in their stock price, their market value today is $25.8 Billion. they are too big and all they have to do is cancel their drilling program in the gulf for this year, and they will have enough in their budget to fix the problem and compensate everyone. they already put $20 billion into a fund for people seeking compensation for damages to their job.

and don't forget, all the oil BP is skimming from the gulf, they are probably collecting and sending to the refinery to get paid for it, so even while they are cleaning up, they are also getting paid for it.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by RedJewel2SS

67 thousand bbls/day out of one skimmer sounds a little extreme.

BP won't file for bankruptcy, even with the recent drop in their stock price, their market value today is $25.8 TRILLION. they are too big and all they have to do is cancel their drilling program in the gulf for this year, and they will have plenty of money to fix the problem and compensate everyone. they already put $20 billion into a fund for people seeking compensation for damages to their job.

and don't forget, all the oil BP is skimming from the gulf, they are probably collecting and sending to the refinery to get paid for it, so even while they are cleaning up, they are also getting paid for it.

A lot of economists disagree. BP CAN go bankrupt. That 25.8 trillion dollars isn't owned by BP. It's publicly traded and owned in part by many people. If stockholders start to take their money out and keep taking it out BP can colapse.

I'm not saying it's probable or anything. I'm not an expert. And I too am in the camp of making BP pay for this. But to boycott and have the attitude that BP has an endless supply of money is irresponsible right now because the effect of a BP colapse isn't just European stockholders, or American stockholders losing their money and subsequent economic strain, but a Gulf of Mexico that WE would have to pay to clean up. And then we depend on the Gov. .......... Don't know about you, but I don't want that.

[RedJewel2SS]

Originally Posted by PQ

A lot of economists disagree. BP CAN go bankrupt. That 25.8 trillion dollars isn't owned by BP. It's publicly traded and owned in part by many people. If stockholders start to take their money out and keep taking it out BP can colapse.

I'm not saying it's probable or anything. I'm not an expert. And I too am in the camp of making BP pay for this. But to boycott and have the attitude that BP has an endless supply of money is irresponsible right now because the effect of a BP colapse isn't just European stockholders, or American stockholders losing their money and subsequent economic strain, but a Gulf of Mexico that WE would have to pay to clean up. And then we depend on the Gov. .......... Don't know about you, but I don't want that.

i meant to say 25 billion

and the day they can say the leak has stopped will be the perfect time to make some money with their stock, cuz it will just go right back up and i bet in a year's time, it will be stable again.

hell the entire market has been down since the spill. my company's stock is down $30

[PQ]

Originally Posted by RedJewel2SS

67 thousand bbls/day out of one skimmer sounds a little extreme.

Ok, I was off a bit. 35,000 barrels per day with one skimmer. But still. No need for hay if you use these. Hay would just create a problem. Like I said, I love that people are being pro-active, but the hay thing is just not the way.

Large arms that are attached to oil tankers that pump oil and water from the surface of the ocean into the tanker. Water pumped into the tanker will settle to the bottom of the tanker and is then pumped back into the ocean to make room for more oil. Each system will collect 5,000 tons of oil each day.

One ton of oil is about 7.3 barrels. 5,000 tons per day is 36,500 barrels per day. 4 skimmers have a capacity of 146,000 barrels per day. That is much greater than the high end estimate of the leak. The skimmers work best in calm water, which is the usual condition this time of year in the gulf.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by RedJewel2SS

i meant to say 25 billion

and the day they can say the leak has stopped will be the perfect time to make some money with their stock, cuz it will just go right back up and i bet in a year's time, it will be stable again.

hell the entire market has been down since the spill. my company's stock is down $30

Right. But we have to hope that that day will come before they go down.

[RedJewel2SS]

Originally Posted by PQ

Ok, I was off a bit. 35,000 barrels per day with one skimmer. But still. No need for hay if you use these. Hay would just create a problem. Like I said, I love that people are being pro-active, but the hay thing is just not the way.

that means BP is making over $10 million a day by collecting the oil, minus the cost to rent the skimmers which is probably $1 million a day combined.