BP / Gulf Oil Spill – Static Kill Deemed a Success
Die, dragon, die!
The “static kill” operation has apparently succeeded, and cement is now being pumped into BP’s deadly Macondo oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. Work will continue on the nearest relief well to ultimately intercept Macondo at depth and complete the job, pumping cement in from the bottom of the failed well in a “bottom kill” operation that should provide a redundant measure of assurance that the Macondo dragon is well and truly dead.
When that finally happens it will be time to breathe a sigh of relief, and to think again about those who were killed and hurt, and their families and friends.
Then take a good hard look at exactly what happened, what the short-term damages are, and what the long-term consequences – environmental and economic – will be from this massive oil spill, the biggest unintentional oil spill in history. And hopefully learn the lessons, act on the harsh education we’ve all just been given (again), and get a lot smarter about how we produce and use energy in the future.