New oil rig drilling to begin off Newfoundland

The oil disaster in the Gulf is beginning to generate a lot of questions about the safety of drilling in Canada. Chevron Canada Ltd. is drilling its deepest offshore oil well in the North Atlantic and that has many worried.

CTV News Channel: Tom Clark, Power Play host

The environment minister of British Columbia says he is in no hurry to see the moratorium on drilling off the coast lifted. While the Canadian government believes there are great regulations, that is not going to change when it comes to offshore drilling.

Canada AM: Sean Kelly in St. John's

A representative of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board talks about exploratory work to drill Canada's deepest well and the risks to the province.

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The ultra-deepwater drillship Discoverer Inspiration in the Gulf of Mexico on March 30, 2010. Even as the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has raised fears about the safety of offshore drilling, Chevron Canada Ltd. is going ahead with plans this week to drill one of the deepest offshore oil wells in the world off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. (AP / Houston Chronicle, Melissa Phillip )

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Mon. May. 10 2010 9:13 PM ET

Even as the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has raised fears about the safety of offshore drilling, Chevron Canada Ltd. is going ahead with plans this week to drill one of the deepest offshore oil wells in the world off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The provincial government has defended the company's plans, saying there is no need to be alarmed.

"We're not going to shut down or offshore (drilling) under these circumstances," said Kathy Dunderdale, the province's natural resources minister. "We have a degree of security -- as much as one can rely on -- that the proper measures and countermeasures are in place."

A drill ship will look for crude 2.6 kilometres under water -- nearly a kilometre deeper than the well that broke in the Gulf of Mexico. The well site, dubbed Lona-O55, is located in an area known as the Orphan Basin, 430 kilometres northeast of St. John's.

Some observers have raised fears about the project, saying there aren't adequate resources nearby to cope with a disaster like the one unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico.

In comments made to the Globe and Mail last week, Calgary energy analyst Ian Doig worried that if Chevron gets into problems with its well, there would be no other rigs quickly available that are equipped to drill at the depth of the Lona-O55 site.

"They'll just have to stand back and watch," Doig said.

Lorraine Michael, the leader of the province's NDP party, echoed those concerns on Monday in the province's legislature.

"Why won't they put a halt to this project until we know how to deal with incidents so far beneath the ocean?" she asked.

South of the border, U.S. President Barack Obama and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have suspended future offshore drilling while investigators probe the Gulf of Mexico disaster.

Dunderdale said the situation in Newfoundland and Labrador does not require similar action.

"What they've put a moratorium on are new approvals, and we don't have any new approvals pending," she said. "The Orphan Basin well was approved before the accident in the Gulf of Mexico."

Sean Kelly, with the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, said his board is confident in the project.

There have been a number of deep-water drills off the coast of Newfoundland, he said. And while this may be the deepest drilling yet, that doesn't necessarily mean the risk is greater.

"Any time you go into an area like this, there's risk," he told CTV's Canada AM Monday, from St. John's.

He said his board has been assured that Chevron has adequate safety plans and emergency response plans in place, and there is plenty of local capacity to respond to a small spill.

However, if a large disaster struck, he conceded that it would take 11 days for a ship capable of drilling a relief well to arrive.

"But you know, the key in all of this is prevention," Kelly said. "Everybody recognizes that this is the kind of thing we don't want to happen, so had to make sure the measure are in place to prevent that. That's paramount."

He also dismissed criticism that his board has become too cozy with the oil industry.

"We have no role at all in promoting the industry so there's no reason for us to get cozy with them," he said. "Our mandate is simply as regulators."

He stressed again that his board has been assured that this project is as safe as it can be.

"There are never any guarantees in this business. But we are pretty confident that Chevron has met the regulatory requirements of the board. And they've got a state-of-the-art drill ship there."

The Stena Carron drill ship was built in 2008 and has three ways to activate its blowout preventer, which is a wellhead valve that effectively shuts down the well: an acoustic signal sent to the seabed; sending an underwater robot to the seabed; and automatic hydraulic system to shut down a well.

Mark MacLeod, Atlantic Canada manager for Chevron, said his team has redoubled its safety efforts in recent weeks, focusing in particular on the new project's blowout preventer. In comments to the Telegram newspaper in St. John's, MacLeod said Chevron hired a third-party consultant to review the maintenance and reliability of the system.

"We've done a full inspection and testing of the blowout system, and all of the functions of that," he said. "Everything is good to go. We're very confident that we're ready to drill this well safely."

With a report from NTV's Michael Connors and files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Michael
said

I think that we don't need to drill for oil in any ocean as oil and water do not mix.All oil rigs leak oil into the ocean,they are dirty (not to mention the ships that carry it).If I spill a little oil in my yard they would make a major deal out of it.Keep them on land in a more controlled environment.There is other energies to develop such as the magnetic motor(completely pollution free) which our government should get manufactured for every home and vehicle.This is not liked by the corporations of oil and coal ,but does that really matter at this point.Either we want a future for our children or we don't care.The decisions our leaders make indicate that answer.

Linda in Vancouver
said

Actually,it's not the oil companies that are greedy.It's us.We want this,we want that,and someone has to pay for this and that. In BC,people want to stop cutting down trees to make money.They don't want a pipeline For Alberta to get it's oil to markets outside of the USA.They don't want oil and gas dilling anywhere.They don't want the hydo dam that generates clean energy.They don't want fish farms.Etc,etc,etc. What they do want is more money spent on health care.More money spend on education.More EI cheques for more people. More free homes.More free food.More public transit.Better roads.Cheaper cell phones.And the list goes on endlessly. So,I'm still waiting for the answers to the most relevant questions.Where does the money come from for all this,if natural resources are off the table? And,in the absence of more government revenues,which taxes would you increase,and witch services are you prepared to do without,so the loss of tens of billions of dollars of energy revenue are no longer needed??

andy
said

The key is reusable energy!!! of all kindsIn the last century we have learned EVERYTHING, not.learn from your mistakes or just keep drilling YOU choose. its our 1 earth peopleyou cant spend any money on a planet that doesn't support life anymore! (greedy oil companies)Think logical, i hope evolution can continue and humans make it to our full potential!!

JS
said

Any environmentalist that says we need to shut down oil exploration or production needs to do 2 things. First thing is to come up with replacement products for the products that are made from the end products from refining the oil. The second thing they need to do is throw away and and not buy anything made from those end products. They can start by throwing away their computers as all computers have plastic, which is an end product. They should take a good look around in their homes and see how many things they have that are made from plastic in their homes and get rid of them. Until then they should just keep their mouths shut because their hypocrisy does not look good on them.

SK Carbonman
said

Ladies and gentleman, start your engines...

Maggie
said

The key is not to stop drilling forever, but to figure out how to contain this oil spill and prevent it from happening ever again. Or to find a new resource that is better for the environment, to utilize. I realize that Newfoundland needs the money and the business it brings, but if everyone is dead, none of this matters at all. In other words, Newfoundland needs to be 100% sure that there is not going to be any spills before drilling in there. The economy will suffer, people will suffer but at least no one will die. It takes time to find new solutions and patience is key. The comments about how no one has stopped using their cars is completely unfair. I can't be expected to find some other way of transportation within weeks of a great oil spill. I can, however, look towards new ways. And this is what we should be doing. We shouldn't be continuing to feed the problem by ignoring the harsh realities of the consequences from an oil spill or condoning further unsafe practices. Essentially, I'm saying, this should be a lesson to all. It should be a reminder of the time limit we have on this resource and for this earth.

shalegh
said

Newfoundland/Labradour and the Atlantic Provinces should be up in arms over drilling for a new rig. When does common sense apply? Give our heads a shake and start looking at the catastrophic events of the past two weeks in the Gulf of Mexico never mind the future. They are still trying to figure corrections for this one. Where are the governments over a new rig. What a bunch of ostriches.

Wendy
said

The only way we should be drilling in the ocean is if there is 100% chance of no oil entering the ocean. Even if concrete or steel walls were erected it wouldn't be 100% safe, earth quakes could destroy anything build so there should be no drilling in the ocean.

tarsands newfie
said

so , if you get a spill there , what happens to the white-coat seals ? Are you goin to chase them through the burblin crude , drive them a mile or so ashore one a stormy night and then run them through a car wash , and do it again til you get all the oil ? just wonderin , bye.

VIP
said

Norway and possibly other North Sea countries require an emergency shut-off valve as a condition to drill off-shore. The cost is around $50 million, something BP was too cheap to install in the gulf.

keith fox
said

The most important resource for Mankind is clean Water. Stop this insanity for the sake offuture generations. Let's clean up the Earth'soceans,lakes and rivers. God must be shaking his or her head with the mess that man hasdone to this beautiful planet. Always try not topollute any waterway in your lifetime. No more off shore Oil Drilling.

J
said

This article is asinine.I do believe that planes keep flying even after one has crashed.Cars keep driving even after one has crashed.

Michael
said

Just to be on the safe side, pour some garbage on top of the site right now; why wait and be in a big hurry to do it.

ScottHfx
said

Gotta laugh at all the anti drilling folks going on about us stopping drilling, without a smidgeon of plan to replace oil, and after they complain about drilling will go to the pumps and fill up, and further complain about the price of gas. I suppose they would go to post office and pick up their govt. cheque as well, fruther driving up the deficit, because they don't have a job, because the moratorium has prevented litterally 10's of thousands from being created. Get a life you losers, and an education. We need gas and oil period, for at least another 50 years, so get used to it. Way to go Nfld. - Drill baby Drill!! Nova Scotia refusing to drill is currently causing them to die a very slow and painful death buried in debt. Can't even keep a ferry running to sustain lifeline with USA. Pathetic! Again, way to go Nfld!!

Mary Ann, Kingston, ON
said

IF we don't tap into that oil, then you know someone else, IE: United States will, and we know they won't give a rats' @%& about our environment, so atleast if we have a Canadian company drilling, perhaps we'll be able to have a better say on safety and preventive measures. Here's hoping anyway...And I agree with the sentiment, can we stop bashing other Canadians to make our points, come on, the US is much easier to poke at! :)

DANIEL H
said

What's important is $ and jobs. We need to drive the prices down at the pumps by producing more. We need more jobs to get people off employment insurance and welfare! Let those who want to work for a living get out and get a job. We need things going to eliminate the government bailouts of business and get car sales going again. I'm not worried. My kids can look after thier own future!

haywood
said

totally agree with deedee lo. But WTF your dealing with Newfoundlanders so what does one expect.....hey goforit newfies, I'm on the west coast,...... you people are absurd..... totally freakin absurd!!!

Dr. M
said

The transfer to cleaner and more sustainable energy is long overdue, but could happen more quickly than most people seem to realize, especially in a country like Canada which has immense energy resources and few people. The Germans have increased their use of solar, biofuel, and wind power from 5% to 15% of their total energy needs in just 10 years. They expect to increase the rate of transition, so that in the next ten years, they will be at about 40%. In the process, they have created jobs and made profits. Combine these new sources with conservation efforts, and we can create jobs, lower greenhouse gasses, decrease our dependence on oil, and better prepare for the day when oil runs out. Because that's the last reality that most of those who chant "drill baby drill" just don't get. We've already exploited the easy to reach sources of oil, and we're now moving on to those that require immense investments of money and high-tech, which as we have just seen, is prone to failure and disasterous consequences. Known oil reserves are approximately half gone, and it will be increasingly harder to suck the last few million barrels out of the ground. Gas and oil will only increase in price, making alternative energy cheaper by comparison. Meanwhile our global use of oil increases, while CO2 levels rise and oil spills degrade the environment. Something's got to give. We can either plan now for a more sustainable future, or suffer the consequences of short-sighted thinking and refusal to face the obvious. By the way, did some of you miss the fact that Professor Pye Chartt was being sarcastic in his comments? At least I hope he was. God help him if he thought that was a serious argument.

matt in edmonton
said

There is a source for oil in Canada that carries zero risk for an ocean spill. It's here in Alberta.

Westerner
said

Working for an Oil company the view I have is: It's only as good as the Engineers Designing it and Operators running it - which has the basis of safe gaurds in place so that nothing happens to anyone or the enviroment. BUT you cannot predict the unexpected or panic siuations and machinery/technology is only as good as developed and people who were trained (University and work experience). History repeats itself - Ocean Ranger, Excon Incident, Gulf Incident, and what about emergency prepardness ie: Helicopter crash last year 14 lives lost. At what cost do we proceed or is SAFETY truly first?

Scene
said

Re: Pip, you are absolutley right, we don't have the means of proper infrastructure to run these new forms of technology yet, and that's why I am with you when I say we can't just shut off all oil sources. However I am in the mind that we must slowly ween ourselves of the black crude. I don't expect people to flick a switch and say, that's it no more oil, but I do expect people to slowly turn to alternative sources of fuel. Government and corporations have to push forward and make this happened, however when corporations are paying the politicans for funding, it becomes a much slower process, as the corporations will want to keep what making them $$$$! We have to move forward together in order to progress and that takes time, but the change world wide is slowly happening.

Teed off Marintimer AKA Rick in NB,
said

@ Allan Eizinas: Would you like to add some merit to your rant. For instance, where have you ever read or heard that East Coast Canadians are agains't alternate energies? Do you believe that we are refinig crude and consuming it ourselves, thanks to a secret deal with Chevron? I just don't understand why it has become so trendy to trash fellow Canadians in order to make a comment.

Retired Drilling Rig Captain
said

While I agree, that the situation in the Gulf of Mexico is quite serious, based on --MEDIA--... reports, it sounds like the rig in question took a very large, and uncontolled formation kick, where the formation pressure, vastly exceeded the ability of the bottom packer plugs and cement to hold back the pressure in the well bore. The strain must have been tremendous, as the expansion factor of gas coming up the riser to the rig floor would have been tremendous, pushing all of the cement and anything else in there ahead of it, hence very little time to react to contain it. Further...reports are now circulating that BP the drilling operator were warned of this potential, by the authorities, before the bit went in the seabed! If there was any question as to the sufficiency of the existing engineering to have prevented or controlled this, by way of calculations, then, this well should never have been attempted. People need to realize that the ability to control such pressures decreases exponentially with the increase in the depth to be worked. Until these factors are adequately engineered out of the arrangement, the authorities, should as a matter of policy, withhold their approval, until an adequate factor of safety can be maintained. Oh by the way, we nearly lost the venture gas field in 1983 off of Nova Scotia, when a very similar situation happened with a high pressure gas pocket with the Rig Zapata Scotian, in that case the pressure was that intense, the well casing pipe ruptured, allowing gas to bleed into a shallow formation that took almost 10 months to get under control. One had hoped that time and engineering methods have improved.....apparently NOT! ...I sincerely hope that the Newfoundland Board has taken all of this into account .

Kris D.
said

@JP - Hey all I'm saying is that they're building wind turbines off the coast of Boston that will generate power... forever. Seriously, that wind has been blowing for millions of years and it will blow for a million more. Our cars will soon be electric and we can charge them from green power. And if one of them turbines happens to fall over into the water? It'd probably take a few hours to clean up and the damage minimal. Clean, renewable, sustainable energy. It really is that simple.

Gwen
said

This needs to be halted until there is a solution to drilling at those depths, protecting all sealife, and multiple fail back systems approved. The planet cannot sustain more if any further man-made catastrophes. We are supposed to be moving away from fossil fuel, but "big" oil can't afford that to happen. Wish they would move toward and support other energy sources. We've been talking about this since the 50's..

Scott ONT
said

When environmentalists start spending the lobbying dollars that the big oil does, change might happen. Until then, look for alternate fuels to sit on the back burner while oil is the dominant energy source. It's as simple as that. The rich control the way of the world

Doug # BC
said

Well said to "Greg The Hammer". You have got to just love all the folks who are living the good life, sittling back fat, dumb, and happy, and not stop for one minute, to ask "where is that pays for all this actually coming from"?? Not only do we expect more "free" social programs for Canadians,we expect our government fo free people from tyranny in their own countries,and feed hungry people all over the planet. And we all expect Canada to respond to emergencies like tsunamis and earthquakes in every part of the world.We want them to do this all at the same time as they lower our taxes, reduce our debt,and secure our sovereignty. The correct human response to a failure like that in the Gulf of Mexico, is to do a better job the next time. NEVER,in the course of the progress made by the human species, has giving up solved a single thing. We can build a great nation for our children and out grandchildren to inherit. Just as our own ancestors did for us. But not if we exclude revenuse from our resouces. Particularly oil, gas, and electricity. If you take all that revenue out of the government budgets,be very prepared to live in poverty. ALL OF US. Don't stop doing these things.Just do them properly.People screwed up in the USA when the MMS stopped requiring the shut off valves that stop oil from escaping when a rupture occurs.A vale that is required almost ewverywhere on the planet.People will got to jail over this.As well they should.But it cannot be a reason to stop drilling for oil we still need badly. If oil became obsolete tomorrow,you dollar would be worthless. We would live in dark, cold tents,and be as hungry as those starving in Africa. Trust me, cell phones, cars, and mortgage rates would be the least of your problems.

JP
said

@Kris D. Your rhetoricalness is unbounded. Would you like to try again and say something that is NOT perfectly obvious? Energy comes from those holes in the ocean floor, did you know?

G. Barton
said

Scientists know that oil spills have occured naturally even before humans began drilling for it. Scientific evidence clearly shows massive underwater oil leaks that probably went on for up to 100 years!When the earth had a lot of oil a few hundred million years ago, it naturally leaked and oozed into the environment from time to time. Like forest fires that have occured for billions of years, so have oil spills and as with the forest the immediate impact appears devastating but science also tells us that it promotes rapid re-birth of the forest. Oil is a natural product of our earth... the earth and the oceans will absorb and break down any and every spill... and that's the scientific truism that environmentalist will never tell you!

Kris D.
said

@William H - As a Canadian, I'd like to remind you that we supported your province for decades, and were glad to do it. Also, Ontario sends about 7 billion to the equalization program and will get back about 400 million this year. To say that they're a have-not is buying into the spin and mathematically, it just doesn't make any sense. You shouldn't be so upset that people are concerned for our East Coast in light of what's happening in the Gulf. After all, who do you think would fork over the cash to support the area after it's be destroyed by a spill like that? That's right, your fellow Canadians would.

deedee lo
said

So, let me see if I get this straight? There is a deep well spewing oil into the ocean because clearly BP went into this project with no plan to stop in the event of catastrophe. They are having a tough time because their procedures to stop the oil from leaking into the ocean have never been tested or tried at that depth. YET we're allowing Chevron to go and start drilling an even DEEPER well in the ocean? My question is, does Chevron have a plan to prevent a spill like the one from BP? If so, why aren't these guys sharing their plan and help BP stop the spill? Just out of curiousity. I think if Chevron doesn't have a plan, they shouldn't even be drilling. Period. Why all the greed for the black gold? Are we just drilling and having unsafe practices offshore just so we can let the oil leak into the ocean? While all this happens; here, in land, we're watching the price at the pump go up as we damage the environment of other living creatures. Is this the current business plan of the big oil companies?

Kris D.
said

@JP - Um, nobody is saying we don't need energy to live. They're just saying - in light of the environmental and economic catastrophe taking place down south - that maybe there's better ways to power our lifestyle then drilling holes in the bottom of the ocean. Perhaps it's you that's the "dolt".

Tony Broscomb
said

To quote Thoreau: "What use is a house if you don't have a tolerable planet to put it on?"

Jim in Ottawa
said

This is an excellent opportunity for Newfoundlanders and Canadians to show the world that when all available technologies are properly employed, off-shore oil drilling is safe. The fact remains that global demand for oil is still very high, and is an integral part of our national prosperity.

Pip
said

Scene comments that ". . . when truth is, given the opportunity to travel a cleaner way, most people would choose to do so." I would certainly like to travel more cleanly, but where are the clean means of transport? Electric high-speed trains a la Shinkansen running across the nation? Not there and will not happen until all provinces can agree (is that even possible?) that such an undertaking is financially viable. An interprovincial mag-lev train system to replace air travel (speeds are good enough)? The cost per kilometre is prohibitive given our population density and the huge distances between cities in the west. Hydrogen-fuelled cars? The technology is there and improving but the infrastructure does not exist. So in the meantime we are stuck with diesel and gasoline powered trucks and cars, and they need petroleum; not just for fuel but for the plastics that make the vehicles light enough to be increasingly fuel efficient. If we want to go back to the 19th century or earlier, then by all means stop the drilling and stop the tar sands extraction. Yes, by all means, lets do it unilaterally, freezing and starving in the dark, but with clear consciences. As for me, I prefer to be able to take advantage of the products oil and its by-products have made available.

Scene
said

Re: Pye Chartt, Although I respect your view, I can't agree with it. I beleive what most people are trying to say is they want to lower their dependence on oil so we don't have to keep drilling in the oceans. People say that we don't stop driving our trains, planes and automobiles, when truth is, given the opportunity to travel a cleaner way, most people would choose to do so. Please don't tell me that there are people with the slogan of "Drill baby drill" out there, I would hope that this last oil spill would of opened most peoples eyes. If it hasn't then nothing will. Or maybe hitting the Florida coast will change your mind, as that rotten petrolium air they call a sea breeze now fills your lungs.

Kris D.
said

Canada's East Coast is world renowned for fishing and tourism. One major catastrophe like what happened in the Gulf of Mexico could destroy all that for a generation or more. What was the name of that book? Oh yeah, "Stupid to the Last Drop".

JP
said

We need energy to live, you dolts!

William M
said

As a Newfoundlander, I would like to remind 'Ottawa Visitor' that we have had quite enough meddling in our economic affairs by those from Ottawa (See: Upper Churchill transmission laws, federal seizing of the atlantic shelf and it's oil resource rights, historic federal mismanagement of the atlantic fishing industry and collapse of cod stocks, etc. etc.). Of course, I'm sure you'd rather see the people Newfoundland and Labrador go back to being a have-not economic backwater of a province so you can assuage your central-canadian, liberal enviro-guilt. But then who would pay for Ontario's equalization check next year? Fortunately, we're the masters of our own house out here and do as we please.

NL'er
said

Drill baby drill - but with safeguards. That's all I have to say about this!

ron in victoria
said

our need for oil is the reality. canada has the worlds largest deposit in the tar sands. drilling,compleating,producing a well some two killometers underwater safely is absurd. far better to consentrate on developing the tar sands economically with due concern for the environment.

Jordan
said

I say keep drilling!

Allan Eizinas
said

Drill baby drill! All those Canadians who live on the East Coast shorelines and argue against wind turbines will not have to worry about all the humming and those 6 birds that they may kill. Now all they have to worry about is their fisheries polluted, their livelihood destroyed and their beaches covered in oil. But hey, oil spills don�t make any noise, do they?

NS
said

ALL STOP! This should be put on hold until a full investigation and new saftety regulations are implemented after the Gulf disaster. That was also a new rig... Imagine two oil distasters at once....there are not enough resources to deal with it now...and of course deeper would make it tougher to deal with... We need the oil, but we have to do it safely....

Greg in The Hammer
said

Ah yes. The typical knee jerk reaction. We have a terrible ecological situation. STOP OIL DRILLING IMMEDIATELY! Well unless everyone would like to give up their automobiles and warm and cosy homes, cellphones, computers, televisions, etc and return to subsistence living, I suggest you all give your heads a shake. What has happened is awful and the costs to clean it up for BP will be steep and the repurcutions will be felt for years. However. This is also an opportunity to review, analyse and improve the way that we obtain the energy resources that we need to run our world. It shouldn't be held up as a reason to stop obtaining it.

Prof. Pye Chartt
said

We all know that the key to safety and prevention is not wanting anything bad to happen, right? (Okay.) Personally, I take comfort in knowing that the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board is "pretty confident" that Chevron has met the regulatory requirements of the Board. As well, I appreciate that there is "never any guarantee" in this business, and that even though Lona-055 is the deepest drill yet, it "doesn't necessarily mean the risk is greater." Couple all this with the apparent fact that it would take just 11 days of oil-spewing for a rig capable of drilling a relief well to arrive (and more time to successfully complete the relief well itself) and you've got a reliable assurance that nothing will go wrong. Other than the current BP drilling disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, what basis do we really have for being untrusting? Exactly. Just relax, and let Big Daddy Oil suck that energy nectar out of the ocean floor.

Earthwatcher
said

Plenty of public concern about the safety of these deep water oil drill rigs and rightly so. However, it isn't going to stop them from doing what they do. All we can do is hope their preventative processes and technologies will work - if they have to - to prevent another Gulf scale disaster from happening in our own backyard.We crave our black gold fix and despite all the moaning and crying from all of us, it is still an essential part of our life.

Jackie
said

Has the world gone mad? The oil industry ,and the governing bodies that "watch" it punch holes in our planet, have calculated the risk to life on earth is worth it? The very web of life that sustains us is worth destroying for oil? What is it going to take for government to funnel the trillions it burns up in the oil industry and flow it to a sustainable, green enery source with a future? How many disasters are we willing to accept and how many specieis are we willing to kill to keep moving forward into a future with no life?

Ottawa Visitor
said

As an environmentalist concerned about off-shore drilling, I say: Way to go Newfoundland! Timing couldn't be better to ensure that this project gets stopped almost immediately.

Dean in Abby
said

No one ever wants to have a disaster such as in the Gulf but I don't see many people getting out of their planes, trains, or autommobiles. So, with that in mind, the best thing that can be done is to try to anticipate what may happen and put in place measures to combat any "unexpected" occurrences. In B.C., we like our cars and the like but, we won't allow any drilling in order to fuel them. How hypocritical we must be to live out here and not want to help add to our energy problem. Mind you, we don't like cutting forests but we all live in wooden structures.

CDNinGER
said

Not happy much about oil in the ocean. Maybe we should take this as a sign that we should be weening ourselves off it. A methane pocket could cause an explosion in any of the oil pockets. Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself.