Right whales wronged - The US proposes offshore drilling in endangered whales' summer haunt.

Nature News ^ | 10 April 2008 | Emma Marris

[neverdem]

I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.

[DoughtyOne]

You know, the day is coming when the left is going to get some push-back, and it can’t come soon enough for me.

[SeaWolf]

I have come to the conclusion that being an environmentalist requires the IQ of a juvenile Kumquat and the blind enthusiasm of a hound baying at the moon.

[Jeff Chandler]

I don’t care if they have to drill through a whale’s head. Get that oil!

[2ndDivisionVet]

BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything)

[Charlespg]

If congress would takeaway the tax exempt status for these eco freeks, We might could get somewhere

[bruinbirdman]

Rev. Wright doesn’t want whitey in the Bering Sea?

[Smokin' Joe]

But conservationists warn that drilling and related activity will threaten endangered whale species that swim in icy northern waters. The two official notices, both made on the same day this week, make this all too clear.

If it had not been for the use of mineral oil (Kerosene) in lamps, the last whales would have been rendered to keep the lights shining on Beacon Hill before the Civil War.

How many times does the oil industry have to save them, anyway?

[Huntress]

The north Pacific is a huge area of water. I find it extremely hard to believe that some drilling platforms are going to disrupt a significant amount of whale habitat, if any at all.

[verklaring]

The article talks about drilling for natural gas.
It then discusses oil spills. You cannot spill a gas, it isn't oil!

[TheThinker]

I like whales and want them to survive but due to past experience one might think environmentalists are exaggerating just an intsy-tintsy bit?

[Bobibutu]

Drilling-specific threats include oil spills and seismic surveys, which use air guns to find out what might be under the seabed. The loud noises might change the behaviour of the constantly communicating whales, or even deafen them. The construction and operation of oil rigs will also increase ship traffic. “If a ship hits a whale, the whale usually dies,” says Clapham.

“The north Pacific is a huge area of water. I find it extremely hard to believe that some drilling platforms are going to disrupt a significant amount of whale habitat, if any at all.”

First: Oil spills: rare anymore - that is what BOPs are for (Blow out Preventers)
Technology is far beyond the 60s. And it wasn't too bad back then.

Second: Exploration and “Air Guns”. This is a short term procedure - the ship passes thru once and records the sound data. Once done it is history. The “Air Guns” BTW use Oxygen/Inflammable gas and air compressed into what looks like a giant radiator hose with a spark plug at one end - inflate and spark - bang. Tipically a survey ship uses 4 of these hoisted out with outriggers.

Third: Construction of Oil Rigs. Drilling platforms are towed in and positioned for drilling - they are supplied with drill pipe and “mud” by small supply boats.

And we have been doing seismic survey work all over the world for decades - “Air Guns” - I have sailed on the ships that have done this - I have positioned off-shore oil rigs - I have been ferried around by the supply boats.

This writer does not know what they are talking about - has taken some buzz words and written a what if bunch of BS.

Yes when a ship hits a whale the whale looses - any ship even cruise ships. When was the last time we heard of this happening?

If you want more read: http://www.cmst.curtin.edu.au/publicat/1998-19.pdf

[Smokin' Joe]

The article talks about drilling for natural gas. It then discusses oil spills. You cannot spill a gas, it isn't oil!

Oh crap! There you go, bringing facts into the discussion. You know they hate that.

[Bommer]

[bruinbirdman]

"It then discusses oil spills. You cannot spill a gas, it isn't oil!"

I'm old enough to remember a natural oil seepage from the sea bottom off Santa Barbara ('60s). California brought in Exon to control it. They built a huge flatish cone cover with a hole, sunk it over the leak and collected oil from the natural, underwater oil spring.

yitbos

[endthematrix]

" a group of lawyers that campaigns through litigation "

Ick.

[Gil4]

If the whales are too stupid to go around, they deserve to become extinct.

[RichInOC]

Well, then. They should be right at home with Ted Kennedy and his latest lady friend, shouldn’t they?

[backhoe]