Talking Points Memo has some spectacular photos of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon as it burned.
It now appears that for want of a $500K "acoustic trigger" this leak wasn't shut off immediately.
The industry argued against the acoustic systems. A 2001 report from the International Association of Drilling Contractors said "significant doubts remain in regard to the ability of this type of system to provide a reliable emergency back-up control system during an actual well flowing incident."That sounds like the MMS became a captive to the industry it was supposed to regulate as so many others did during the Bush years (see SEC, OSHA, and the entire Department of Labor). We seem to be paying a huge price for that laxity, and the citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi will be paying a higher price still if their livelihoods are destroyed. Posted by Linkmeister at May 3, 2010 10:19 AM | TrackBackBy 2003, U.S. regulators decided remote-controlled safeguards needed more study. A report commissioned by the Minerals Management Service said "acoustic systems are not recommended because they tend to be very costly."