Quote Originally Posted by demotivater View Post
Wonder if it's feasible, or even possible to drill additional controlled outlets into the deposit to relieve the pressure (and collect the oil)? Not sure of the time involved to do so, I would hope it's been considered and rejected as unfeasible since it has not already been started. What a mess. This will prove to be the biggest environmental disaster in history.
The drilling on that relief well began a week or so after the blowout. However, I seem to remember hearing that it would take a month or more. Therefore, it is both already being done, and not a great solution.

Does it not seem that the Valdez was a bigger story? Just seems like there was more OMG!!!! ***!!! with Valdez than there is with this. Seems everyone is eluding to how bad it is without actually opening the can of "it's that bad NOW". I suspect it's because there was a scapegoat readily available with the Valdez, ie: the captain of the ship. With this, it seems like the media is just waiting to pounce on a single source of blame, then we'll be told repeatedly how bad of a situation one entity put us in.
That could be correct, but I think it is mostly that the oil hasn't coated beaches, yet. Therefore, it is not easy to show TV footage that is sufficiently dramatic. However, some models suggest that the oil will enter a current that will sweep it down to the Gulf Stream, which would cause it to coat the Florida Keys, Miami, and that area, which would make for much more dramatic footage.