Gulf oil platform "accident".

[draggar]

Does anyone else think this isn't an accident?

Seriously, too many coincidences.

It was one of the newest "state of the art" platorms, we're having so much trouble capping it and getting it contained.

The US has a lot of enemies (and I'm not just talking about Al Qaeda).

[HYHYBT]

I'd need evidence before taking that idea seriously.

[draggar]

... and any evidence now is either destroyed or at the bottom of the gulf. With everyone concentrating on containing the spill and capping the wells, any evidence can easily wash away.

[smileyeagle1021]

If we want to talk conspiracy theories, I've seen gas prices go up by nearly a quarter in the last couple of weeks. It would be just as likely that the oil companies did it themselves to give them justification to jack up prices.

[draggar]

If we want to talk conspiracy theories, I've seen gas prices go up by nearly a quarter in the last couple of weeks. It would be just as likely that the oil companies did it themselves to give them justification to jack up prices.

I wouldn't count out that possibility, either.

Or, someone cut corners where they knew they shouldn't have.

[MadMike]

If we want to talk conspiracy theories, I've seen gas prices go up by nearly a quarter in the last couple of weeks. It would be just as likely that the oil companies did it themselves to give them justification to jack up prices.

I never thought of the idea of them doing intentionally. However, my first thought was, "Great, they're gonna use this as an excuse to jack up the prices again!" Because they'll do it for any reason -- an oil spill, a refinery breaking down, a bird shitting on an oil truck, a day that ends in a "y", etc.

[Hobbs]

I never thought of the idea of them doing intentionally. However, my first thought was, "Great, they're gonna use this as an excuse to jack up the prices again!" Because they'll do it for any reason -- an oil spill, a refinery breaking down, a bird shitting on an oil truck, a day that ends in a "y", etc.

I don't see a spill or a refinery break-down as an "excuse" to bring up gas prices. It's pretty much a "well-duh" that prices will go up when these things happen; market trends and all...

[HYHYBT]

Throw out entirely the idea of the oil company doing it intentionally; they lose far too much in cleanup costs, fines, lawsuits, and bad publicity for it to be worthwhile. Unless you want to claim some *other* oil company did it to sabotage the competition, in which case, again, you'd better have evidence.

[joe hx]

I **could** see environmental terrorists doing this, as the big question of whether to allow more off-shore drilling is on the table. Islamic terrorists like to brag about their work, so I doubt it's them. I think I'll go with accident.

[tabbyblack13]

I don't know if anyone else has ever studied geology and oil drilling but it can get very dangerous. The pressure that the oil is under while it is in the formation is so great that specialized equipment and technology is needed. Many oil companies require at least 6 months of specialized training after college if you are going to be working on on the pressure control during drilling. If one thing goes wrong then there is big risk of an explosion. There are a lot of potential dangers during and after drilling.

If it was eco-terrorist group then they really messed up. They have created a bigger mess by doing this.

If it was another terrorist group then someone would have claimed responsibility by now.

[protege]

If it was eco-terrorist group then they really messed up. They have created a bigger mess by doing this.

I wouldn't put it past them though--some groups really aren't about the environment at all. These idiots (and I'm being nice) would think nothing about firebombing an SUV dealership, or torching a housing development. Both have been done over the past few years, with negligible results. Think about it--all the burning did was make them look like idiots, and actually did *more* environmental damage.

If it was another terrorist group then someone would have claimed responsibility by now.

Yep, I agree with that too. If it was terrorism, someone would have claimed responsibility for it. They want to make headlines with those acts. Since nobody has made a claim, it's just an accident.

[Greenday]

Yep, I agree with that too. If it was terrorism, someone would have claimed responsibility for it. They want to make headlines with those acts. Since nobody has made a claim, it's just an accident.

I don't get this attitude. Simply because a group didn't admit to it means it couldn't have been a terrorist group? I'm not saying it was a terrorist group because in all likelihood, some instrument just malfunctioned. But why does a terrorist group HAVE to admit it was them for it to be them? Couldn't they not be completely stupid and not admit it, not making themselves a target?

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Ting being that terrorist groups want people to be afraid, by definition. In order for that to work, they need to make people know it was an act of terrorism, and when it comes to their particular brand, theirs specifically.

[Rapscallion]

If it was another terrorist group then someone would have claimed responsibility by now.

Al Quesadilla typically wait for about a month from an attack before admitting their involvement.

Rapscallion

[draggar]

Al Quesadilla typically wait for about a month from an attack before admitting their involvement.

Rapscallion

I was going to say roughly the same thing.

They even denied involvement in 9-11 (as well as their Taliban puppets).