BP Gulf Oil Spill Worst Case Nightmare Conclusion

The BP Gulf oil spill has a worst case nightmare conclusion to the event that is so catastrophic that neither BP nor the US government has so far even dared suggest that such a disaster is possible. Should the “downhole” portion of the oil well be compromised the BP and US government efforts to date to control and cleanup the oil spill have only been theater to show the public that they are “doing something”.

Once you understand the full ramifications of the most likely outcome to the BP Gulf oil spill one is likely to feel a mixture of rage and sorrow and helplessness as at this stage there is little that anyone can do, not even the President of the United States, to mitigate the disaster to follow. Mother nature has already started on a course of action that will probably be irreversible and we mere mortals will have to face the consequences of our insatiable demand for energy and our up to now boundless faith in technology to solve our energy requirements.

A recent posting on The Oil Drum website sums up in coherent fashion the events leading up to the Gulf oil spill and the actions taken by BP and the government thus far in an effort to contain the flood of crude oil spill gushing from the blown out well site. More importantly, the posting states the probable true condition of the blown out oil well and the horrific consequences that we will face for the next several decades as the estimated two plus billion barrel oil reservoir makes its way into the Gulf of Mexico at the rate of 150,000 to 200,000 barrels per day.

For those of you not familiar with the Oil Drum Website it is a site that has been in existence for five years or so and usually discusses in an informative and scientific way the prospect of peak oil and how that event will effect the way our civilization evolves during the 21st century. Since the BP Gulf oil spill the Oil Drum has been focused on events leading up to the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform and the ensuing efforts to contain and clean up the oil spill.

In my opinion, as the “old hand” visitors to the Oil Drum website are involved in some way with the oil industry, as geologists, engineers, drillers, tool pushers, drilling rig hands, oil company executives, scientists, chemists, and others with great knowledge about the terribly complicated oil exploration, oil production, and oil transportation businesses, the abundant flow of information about the oil patch business at the Oil Drum is second to none.

While the June 13, 2010, 3:17 AM posting at The Oil Drum by dougr (about halfway down the page) is one of the most depressing readings that you could ever find about the prospects for getting the BP Gulf oil spill under control the details and forecast made by dougr are difficult to refute.

If over the next few weeks or months his forecasts are proven to be correct than President Obama will regret the day that he stated that he was responsible for managing the containment and cleanup of the oil spill. If the oil spill becomes as severe as forecast BP will have no option other than to declare bankruptcy and President Obama may well have to end his trips to the Gulf Coast as he will not at all be welcome there. In fact, the Gulf Coast States would likely fall into such a state of desperation and despair that no one even remotely connected to the federal government in any capacity dare step foot outside of heavily guarded fortresses located in Washington, DC.

The BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill is already by far the worst oil spill event in our nation’s history. The worst case nightmare conclusion to the event is likely to be one of the greatest catastrophes in the history of civilization.