ok, let them do deep water drilling in the gulf.. BUT!

[Rosco T.]

If a company wants to deep drill, they MUST

#1 they have to put up a 20 Billion CASH BOND (escrow) UP FRONT. No stock, no pledging assets. Hand over the cash.

#2 they have to accept a 100% LIABILITY for ANYTHING that happens. No caps, no if, no ands, no buts.

Wanna bet how many would be drilling?

oh, and make that a 20 BILLION BOND PER RIG. They get it back when the well is capped and abandoned.

[pinto]

1. All of them.

:hi:

[gateley]

2. And have a independent overseers 24/7. nt

[doc03]

3. What about the small independent operators? Where they get

$20 B? How about the government just make sure they have strict safety rules and enforce them.

[Duer 157099]

6. And what happens if an accident similar to the current one

happens by a "small independent operator"? If they don't have the capacity to clean up such a potential mess, they have no business drilling in deepwater.

[doc03]

10. If the proper safety procedures were in place and

the government watchdogs were on the job it wouldn't happen.

[Duer 157099]

11. So... you're saying that accidents don't happen?

I don't think so...

[doc03]

13. Accidents happen, no matter how many rules you make

or what safety precautions you impose sometimes accidents just happen. You can have the safest car on the road and be the safest driver on the road and get T-boned at an intersection by a driver that has a stroke. Sometimes no matter what you do --- happens. Like it or not we need oil, all you can do is make rules and enforce them and even then something totally unexpected may pop up.

[Duer 157099]

14. We agree then. Accidents happen. And the liable party had better be equipped

both financially and logistically, to respond.

So, if they don't have $20 billion set aside for such an accident, I suspect they shouldn't be drilling in deep water.

[JBoy]

4. And drill a relief well in parallel with the main well.

[Uncle Joe]

5. Also send Deadeye Dick and Rush Limbaugh down to personally hand pack the mud.

Thanks for the thread, Rosco.

[nc4bo]

7. Damn straight! nt

[jp11]

8. Not a chance.

If they are going to keep drilling they get to have every decision they make and every procedure they want to do overlooked and reviewed by a committee that includes representatives from all of their competition and final say on how or if they proceed is left to the 'new' Mineral management services to make sure they aren't cutting corners like BP did.

The new policy should be no new wells are dug at all in the deep sea until such a time as the new MMS is satisfied that new and sufficient techniques as well as plans have been developed, that would go for pseudo land wells like the gravel island BP wants to make in the arctic.

Oh and you can implement the funding plan for companies that are worth that much and of course retain 100% liability which would be extended to all of the competing members on the committee who approve of the plans. Sort of a Standard operating procedures or 'best practices' if the oil industry experts can't agree on the 'correct' way to do it for each rig it doesn't happen, when they do agree they all share in the blame if it fails.

[RC]

9. It would make much more sense to put the regulations back that Cheney had removed.

Force them to drill using proven common sense methods. To do it correctly - No short cuts.

[Catherina]

12. No drilling for now. Pay their full wages so they can live but no drilling for now n/t