U.S. says no deal with BP as it seeks to drill again

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

U.S. says no deal with BP as it seeks to drill again

(2011-04-04)
(Reuters) -
By Mica Rosenberg and Ayesha Rascoe

MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government lashed out at companies at the heart of last year's Gulf oil spill on Monday, denying reports it had negotiated a deal with BP to resume drilling.

The tough talk by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar highlights the Obama administration's sensitivity toward letting BP -- the biggest holder of deepwater acreage in the Gulf of Mexico -- drill there again a year after an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig led to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

The blast killed 11 workers, ruptured the company's underwater Macondo well and unleashed millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Since the government lifted a ban on drilling in the region in October established after the spill, BP has submitted one permit application to drill one well, said a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the request was under review.



Read more: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/ksje/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1784339/Business/U.S..says.no.deal.with.BP.as.it.seeks.to.drill.again

[damntexdem]

1. Good, ban BP from the Gulf, not just new drilling in the Gulf.

And prosecute those responsible for the outrage to the fullest -- from all three companies directly involved.

[indimuse]

2. KNR! n/t

[iandhr]

3. the administration will cave in 5,4,3,2

[iemitsu]

4. BP should not be allowed to drill again until they have paid every legitimate claim

filed by any gulf coast resident, any gulf coast business, and the governments of the gulf states.

[JTFrog]

5. K&R

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Wait a minute!!!!! What about THIS story that BP GOT a permit?????

BP will restart deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, a U.K. newspaper reported on Sunday, a year after one of the petroleum giant's wells exploded and leaked more than 200 million gallons of oil.

In a deal made with American regulators, the company promised to abide by safety requirements that are stricter than guidelines set after the April 11 blast on the Deepwater Horizon rig that killed 11 workers, The Sunday Times reported without citing its sources. The accident, which released almost 5 billion barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, was the largest marine spill in history.

The oil slick produced by the spill, estimated to be more than 130 miles long and 70 miles wide, wreaked havoc along the coastlines of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.

BP will start in July but not be allowed to drill exploratory wells. The company has over 20 deepwater fields in the area, according to the newspaper.

Somebody is trying to mislead us. Is it Reuters, for the story above
(found here in DU yesterday)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x285582

or

public broadcasting.net for the OP story?

[nc4bo]

7. Noble Energy?

Ok found a good link for a site "we" can trust: http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/03/01/us-approves-first-gulf-deepwater-well-and-bp-is-the-majority-owner/

The BP/Noble Energy's deep well is a helluva lot deeper than BP's.

“Noble Energy,” as it turns out, is not accurate. In fact, BP holds the largest stake in the well approved today.

Noble Energy also makes no mention of BP in its press release from yesterday. In announcing a major discovery in Mississippi Canyon Block 519, back in 2009, Noble spelled out the various ownership stakes, including BP’s — the largest single slice, with a 46.5 percent stake alongside Noble Energy’s 23.25 percent share.

So to recap, BP owns twice as much a stake in this well as Noble Energy, and yet the announcement of the permit says that Noble Energy received it. Noble operates the well, but BP is the biggest stakeholder, and as such could be the biggest voice in making key decisions about cost and safety. Reuters managed to mention this, unlike the AP.

So IOW, BP got the first deep water drilling permit.

Ain't that nuttin'?!

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Actions speak louder than words, don't they?

[nc4bo]

9. No wonder there's so much back peddling.

I wonder who's really responsible for looking the other way on this one?

[AndyTiedye]

10. If I Trash an Apartment Due to Gross Negligence, the Landlord Would CANCEL THE LEASE!

and he'd never rent to me again.

CANCEL THEIR LEASES!

[nc4bo]

11. Then all you'd have to do was get your girlfriend to sign the lease

and you're right back in the ballgame.

I keep waiting for our collective emotional pots to boil over....