A friend in the industry sent me this:

 

Wow, that's some pretty amazing imagery. Interesting background on the layout of the drilling process as well. Thanks for sharing this.

 

Drill baby drill c/o the 1/2 term governor. THis should assist the cleaner energy market and my solar stock.

A professor said that we should use oil for chemicals and lube only, back in the 1930s. I agree.

Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are going to be screwed. Dont believe it, wait till the hurricane season lands on us, just a few months away. THen youll see problems coming to a head.

Weekend Woody.

 

I can't help but see the irony in the timing of this unfortunate event. Never in the history of offshore oil rigs has there been such a catastrophic event like this. And it happens just after Obama says he wants to open up more offshore drilling. Obama?... encouraging more off shore drilling? What's wrong with this picture?

I've never been much of a conspiracy believer, but this one sure makes me wonder.



Like I said, the timing is very ironic. I'm now on the lookout for black helicopters flying over my house.

 

Inferno, I hate to say it, but I was thinking the same thing. Of course, now future drilling is on hold again...

 

One doesn't come up with a conspiracy theory as off base as this one without previous experience in making stupid, far fetched, and completely mind blowingly wrong conspiracy theories.

I'm glad your conspiracy theory isn't 'politically motivated', at least.
I mean, only someone who hates a person's political stance would normally come up with something that stupid. You know, like those people who said that GWB was responsible for allowing people to slam planes into the WTC, causing massive deaths almost 9 years ago. That was another equally mind blowingly wrong and far fetched conspiracy theory that was said, back then.

And we all know that we keep political comments confined to the Politics forum, so it definitely couldn't have been a politically motivated post that found its way into the GENERAL forum, right? You know, those quick little stabs that so many people love to take at each other in the Politics Forum, and puts a smile on their face when they think they are being witty, but are actually just showing how small they truly are.

I don't think you need to worry about Black Helicopters as much as you need to worry about people in white coats bringing you a jacket that fastens your arms behind your back.

Seriously...
Did you really just accuse the President of the United States of causing an ecological disaster for some weird political motivation?
Seriously...

BC.

 

Great post, Blade.

 

Be honest guys, one cannot help but think it possible there is a conspiricy here. After all GWB blew up the WTC and foced Katrina rightup the bay to New Orleans.

But, Bladecutter is right.

Then as now, there is not evidence unless the crazzies begin to invent it.
Can you say "Jesse with a Feather Boa Ventura."

Another great find from Minnesota.

While it is convenient, I cannot fathom Barry would do it. I believe it wrong to even suggest so, at this point. WE KNOW NOTHING!

Besides, can someone tell me how to blow up a blowoff preventer valve more than three miles below the surface of the ocean. I mean Barry is athletic and all, gonna save the workld and all, but I doubt he could hold his breath that long.

There is a term for this kind of event. It is called an "accident"

There is a term for what the media will do with the event, it's called "Yellow Journalism."

There is a term for what the politicians will call it, a "Crisis"

There is a term the environmental tree huggers will call it. "Blood in the water"

It is still just an accident.

People died, and now some will lie. And soon, very soon we will know, It was GWB's fault


roadisaster with a steek

 

Not sure about the birds but I bet the people in Cape Cod are happy they went with windmills.

 

Not because it was easy. Try not to forget how hard the Kennedys fought that OK. And how they tried to manipulate the Corp of Engineers to prevent it.

And, it was Martha's Vineyard

But, to put a point on it, the energy from the windmills pales to the energy from the oil well involved in the spill. Plus, when it was to be done, no one would have seen it was even there.

We can't power our world with windmills. We can't power our world with biodiesel or ethanol. The oil will run out and so eventually will the coal.
There are vast reserves of natural gas that will help. But they too add CO2 and are somewhat finite. Make all the laws and rules you want, won't change one simple truth.

Man will burn it all!

The only viable power source we have, with which we can currently create more power than we will need or use in the foreseeable future is nuclear.

And we aint going there.

 

I would hate to see a similarly catastrophic failure at a nuclear plant.

 

So would anyone.. Perhaps we should just do nothing.

Or just try to do it right.

Windmills are beautiful, graceful, obvious monuments to the green movement.

But, they simply are not the answer. They are part of the answer.
Solar has some promise but the required foot print, much like that of windmills, is too big. So solar is only part of the answer

Nuclear is another. But compact nuclear units can be far less intrusive on the environment and the view.
Do you have any idea the amount of electrical power required to move our nation's autopowered vehicles?

Here's a question, since our currrent leadership wants us to be more like Europe, why can't we pursue nuclear power like the French or undersea oil like the Norwegians and Danes?

If not, if we can't pursue these proven sources of energy whilst our competitiors do, then,

Perhaps you could work on that solarium fuel thingy.


roadster with a stick

 

It had to be a North Korean torpedo! We need team America!

 

Actually, it wouldn't be very hard to get solar up and running very fast.
Quick and easy answer if to put a solar power unit on EVERYONE'S roof.
Let the stupid energy companies pay for it, too.

One small roof unit by itself doesn't take much off of the grid, but once you start multiplying the units by the numbers of buildings that are out there, and you should get the idea.

The big thing is that since most people are at work during the day, when the demand is typically highest, most of that solar power goes directly into the grid in order to power the coffee makers at everyone's office.

BC.

 

Solar power on the roof isn't that simple. Al Gore spent two years getting through planning and zoning and then spent $40.000 on the system. Pay back is 20 to 25 years but a s olar panel last 15.

That said, small units that power recharge systems for phones ad computers might be a start. Relativly simple and cheap suchsystems are inconsicouis and easy to install.
Solar powered roof vents can save hundreds on cooling costs.

I will be installing a solar powered pump in my rural southwestern MO farm.

Assuming the DOR lets me remove that much from the aquifer, I will use the water to fill my trout pond. The 6 gal GPM spring is not enough.

Solar can take a significant load off the grid. But likely no more than windmills.

However, how do you power a city like New York with roof mounted panels?

If you set up a rural power station you either have to cut down forests or cover arrible land that could be growing beans for bio diesel.

Hyperion Nuclear modules are ready to go and would fit right into the grid.


A New Paradigm for Power Generation www.hyperionpowergeneration.com/ Nuclear Power is a Key Element of Our Energy Mix
In order to meet the planet’s ever expanding need for affordable energy, a number of different types of clean, emission-free technologies must be developed and employed. Nuclear power, with its ability to provide ro- bust, continuous, and reliable energy – regardless of weather conditions – must be part of this diverse mix. However, conventional large nuclear power plants, due to construction expense and the time required to build them, must be augmented with a smaller solution.

Small & Modular nuclear power Reactors (SMRs)
That “smaller solution” is the category of power reactors known as Small & Modular nuclear power Reactors (SMRs). The history of SMRs is about as long as the commercial use of large nuclear power plants. The fuels and technology included in today’s SMR designs have been studied for over 50 years, and some units went online decades ago. SMRs provide the benefits of larger nuclear power plants – clean, continuous, reliable energy with no greenhouse gas emissions – yet they require very little space in which to operate. SMRs can be transported to sites and engagedwithout the transportation and construction costs of big nuclear power plants. Sealed and self-contained, they offer a safe energy solution for areas of the globe where nuclear proliferation is a concern. But unlike any other clean energy generation, SMRs operate when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.

The Hyperion Power Module (HPM)
The Hyperion Power Module (HPM) is the frontrunner in the SMR industry. The HPM is one of the smallest, safest, and simplest designs. Hyperion Power is deeply concerned about the state of the environment, needless human suffering, and the search for energy independence – vital not just to the U.S., but to every nation on the planet. Hyperion Power believes that these concerns can be met through the safe deployment of SMRs and so is dedicated to realizing the full potential of this small but mighty power module – the HPM. Clean, safe, affordable energy should be available to everyone – even in the most remote locations.Industry & Community Benefits
The Hyperion Power Module (HPM) offers a perfect “distributed” independent energy solution for remote locations that are too difficult or expensive to reach with traditional electrical grid systems from one large, centrally-located power plant. Each HPM-based electric plant generates 25MW of electricity and can be configured for steam only, co-generation, or electricity only.






An HPM-based power plant can supply enough power for:HPM power plants can also be “teamed” in groups of two or more to provide additional power. By teaming multiple units, a medium to large-size power plant can be constructed years faster than a plant constructed on site in the traditional manner.

Reactor Power70MW thermalElectrical Output25MW electricLifetime8 – 10 yearsSize (meters)1.5w x 2.5hWeight (ton)Less than 50Structural MaterialStainless SteelCoolantPbBiFuelStainless clad, uranium nitride Enrichment (% U-235)<20%Refuel on SiteNoSealed CoreYesLicenseDesign CertificationPassive ShutdownYesActive ShutdownYesTransportableYes – intact coreFactory FueledYesSafety & Control ElementsTwo redundant shutdown
systems & reactivity control rodsHyperion Power Module Product Characteristics





1. Transportable2. Sealed Core – Safe and Secure3. Safety4. Operational Simplicity5. Minimal In-Core Mechanical Components6. Isolated Power Productionwe have a ways to go yet.

 

I happen to work in solar cell research, and all I can say is:

Don't hold your breath.

The next generation of SC's will be more long-lived and efficient, but oh, brother-will they cost. Trust me.

Oh, and as for having the "stupid energy companies" pay for it? You sound just like every other man-purse swinging liberal I've run into. Why would you even say that? It's just another way of saying it should be payed from targeted taxes.

Sheesh.

 

Now....If Only Red Adair Were Still Alive

 

I don't know if I should thank you for calling me a Liberal, or take offense because you think being a Liberal is a bad thing.

First off, I'm an Independent.
I always have been.
Being a Liberal or a Conservative is neither bad nor good, until you open your mouth, and start slinging trash like you just did, for no other reason than to somehow insinuate that your religion, oops, I mean political affiliation, is better than someone else's.

Why would I say that?
Simple:

Because I pay quite a bit of money already for the local energy companies to remove money from my wallet on a regular basis.

As it is, I already pay more in fees and surcharges for my natural gas and electrical service than I do for the actual electricity or the gas.

Here's what my electric bill looked like last month:


Residential General - 389.00 kWh x 0.031530 - $12.27
GRSA - $8.33
Trans Cost Adj - 389.00 kWh x 0.000060 - $0.02
Elec Commodity Adj - 389.00 kWh x 0.029340 - $11.41
Demand Side Mgmt Cost - 389.00 kWh x 0.001330 - $0.52
Purch Cap Cost Adj - 389.00 kWh x 0.012130 - $4.72
Service & Facility - $6.25
Renew. Energy Std Adj - $0.88
Franchise Fee - 3.00% - $1.33
Sales Tax - $1.99
Subtotal - $47.72

So lets see...
The electricity cost $12.27, and the rest of the fees cost $35.45.

My gas bill is more of the same, but this is a conversation about electricity, right now.

I wouldn't mind paying nearly triple the actual cost of the electricity, if I even for a moment thought that my electric company was footing the bill to install wind or solar farms here in the great state of Colorado. There are huge amounts of land sitting empty, that can't produce food, that could be used to pump energy of one form or another into the grid.

Yes, there's a bill to be paid in buying, building, and getting the infrastructure up and running, but once its there, then its about maintenance and replacement, which is considerably less than the initial purchase price to get it up and running.

And then with wind and solar, it costs nearly NOTHING to have the technologies produce the power. With a coal power plant, you need to dig up the coal, transport it to the plant, store it, then transport it into the burners, and finally it pollutes the environment after it finds its way into the atmosphere.

A nuclear plant requires you to dig up uranium, refine it, transport it to the plant, store it, install the rods into the reactor, use it, then remove the waste, transport the waste, and store the waste in a massively secure environment for the rest of time.

Hydro electric is a massive cost to build, and can only be built where there is a huge flow of water. There are ecological tolls to be paid to the wildlife upstream and downstream of the dam. Once its up and running though, the return on investment is pretty good.

Every energy company I've ever run across has never had any trouble passing on costs to the consumer, to pay for whatever they want. So, let them build the solar and wind farms, and I'll pay my share, gladly.

I'm also sure there are plenty of gov't incentives, already being paid by us, the taxpayers, for energy companies to add new generation technologies to their collection of power generating capabilities. Unfortunately, some areas of the country haven't had any new generation capabilities added to it in quite a while.

Franc brought up NYC.
Great example, honestly.

It has a couple of major issues to deal with.
The main one being really old infrastructure, mainly in the grid itself.
The wiring is ancient, and already overtaxed in the 5 boroughs.

Con Edison, simply put, doesn't want to replace it.
Major logistical nightmare.

So, in this case, putting solar panels on every residential house in the outlying boroughs would cause there to be less strain on the overall grid, as power no longer has to be transported long distances over crappy wiring. There would be a decrease in the number of brown outs and black outs that have become ever so common in the NYC area over the past several years.

You don't have to cut down trees, and forests to make room for a solar farm, or any other type of power plant, and its not going to take forever to replace an entire grid in the most power hungry city on the East Coast.

Are there drawbacks?
Yep.
Are there benefits?
Heck yeah.

As for being Liberal, its better than not doing a damned thing at all, and having to pay for that, too.

BC.