Officials Plan Attempt To Burn Oil To Protect U.S. Coast
The United States Coast Guard will attempt to ignite some of the oil spill now drifting in the Gulf of Mexico in the aftermath of the explosion and sinking of the Transocean, Ltd., oil rig Deepwater Horizon. The goal is to burn off much of the petroleum before it reaches the commercially and ecologically sensitive Gulf Coast shoreline.
Reports indicate that some 42,000 gallons of crude oil per day continue to flow out of a broken pipe attached to the wellhead where the Deepwater Horizon was drilling.
The spill is not expected to reach land for at least three days, but some of the areas of potential landfall include ecologically sensitive wetlands and wildlife refuges. Also potentially affected are the commercial interests of fishermen, not only those who harvest from the open waters of the Gulf, but also those who operate shrimp and oyster fisheries near the coastline.
According to the New York Times, the Obama administration is expanding its investigation of the explosion that led to the Deepwater Horizon’s sinking. The investigation will include inquiry into whether criminal or civil violations occurred on the part of the platform operators and related entities.
Houston maritime attorneys Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin recently observed that the catastrophic explosion aboard the oil rig underscored the need for additional safety measures in the offshore oil industry. “Greater safety measures need to be taken to prevent future accidents like this,” said Arnold.
As of April 28, the destruction of the Deepwater Horizon has resulted in the loss of eleven workers who are missing and presumed dead, injury to other maritime workers on board the oil platform, potentially disastrous environmental damage to the marine environment and sensitive coastal areas, and risks to the livelihood of commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico.
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