Comment & Debate
Deroy Murdock. “Offshore oil drilling — cleaner than Mother Nature.” Seattle PI. July 24th, 2008: “Democrats and other environmental naysayers cite the 80,000 barrels that spilled six miles off of Santa Barbara, Calif., inundating beaches and aquatic life. This hydrocarbon Hindenburg haunts the memories of those who witnessed it. […] But this genuine catastrophe occurred in January 1969 — nearly 40 years ago. That era’s drilling technology has gone the way of Flower Power and black-and-white TV. Innovation has boosted the safety and environmental reliability of offshore drilling. […] The Santa Barbara spill accelerated oil companies’ efforts to prevent such disasters. Beyond compliance with 17 major permits and 90 different federal regulations, offshore operators frequently conduct accident training and safety exercises. Sensors and other instruments now help platform personnel monitor and handle temperatures and pressures of subsea oil, even as drill bits whirl.”