World's largest oil skimmer heads to Gulf spill

Yahoo ^ | June 30, 2010 | TOM BREEN and JAY REEVES

[toddausauras]

To all who doubted 0bama: in your face! I told you he was a man of action! But seriously, 71 days in and now this bloody thing heads towards the oil spill, what a joke.

[Gene Eric]

>> It just emerged from an extensive retrofitting to prepare it specifically for the Gulf,

Oh. I thought it was just tied up in red tape. /s

[Jess Kitting]

Why did it take 72 days for them to send it?

[knarf]

We obviously still have a healthy trade relationship with Taiwan.

"Sure we'll clean it up ... if we can keep what we capture"

[Pearls Before Swine]

The Taiwanese-flagged former tanker named the "A Whale" is the length of 3 1/2 football fields and stands 10 stories high.

About the size of a cruise ship.

[chicagolady]

They could have been here 71 days ago! BUT Obama had EVERYTHING under control, don’t you know!

[aquila48]

“But the ship has never been tested, and many questions remain about how it will operate. For instance, the seawater retains trace amounts of oil, even after getting filtered, so the Environmental Protection Agency will have to sign off on allowing the treated water back into the Gulf.

“This is a no-brainer,” Overton said. “You’re bringing in really dirty, oily water and you’re putting back much cleaner water.””

Not for Dumb’O’s EPA. They’re going to take months to figure that out.

[pepsionice]

So Bill Clinton says a few things four days ago and suddenly five or six things change to the positive suddenly? That’s all that had to happen? Man, we need Bill back in office.

[OCC]

But the ship has never been tested, and many questions remain about how it will operate. For instance, the seawater retains trace amounts of oil, even after getting filtered, so the Environmental Protection Agency will have to sign off on allowing the treated water back into the Gulf.

Tack on another 90-180 days before it sucks up the first gallon of oil.

[chicagolady]

PLEASE tell me you are kidding!

YOUR President said he did not need help. He had it all under control.He refused the help.

[RedMDer]

So Bill Clinton says a few things four days ago and suddenly five or six things change to the positive suddenly? That’s all that had to happen? Man, we need Bill back in office.

Never thought I agree to that, but I do. This MF has got to go.

[Red_Devil 232]

Because it did not exist as an oil skimmer 72 days ago. It was an oil supper tanker. The owner spent some big bucks to convert it into a skimmer.

Facts mean something.

[wally_bert]

Having the bent one back actually sounds good compared to what we have now.

[UCANSEE2]

Here it is before conversion.

[givemELL]

Reports state that only 2% of the oil from the BP well leak reaches the surface, and the Corexit injected at the leak site keeps oil from reaching the surface by intention. The A Whale is a welcome addition. How effective it is with various sea wave heights remains to be experienced.

[SunkenCiv]

What’s the rush?

[UCANSEE2]

When the news that the SUPER TANKER ‘A WHALE’ offered to help out, there were pictures of it all over the internet.

THERE ARE NONE, now, that I can find.

I have tried all kinds of searches.

Isn’t that odd?

[UCANSEE2]

It was an oil supper tanker

Well, it's going to have oil for supper, and breakfast, and lunch now.

[BIGLOOK]

Too little and too late. It'll be delayed more by the storm in the gulf.

This is the 'Night Day they drove Old Dixie down'.