Coast Guard considers burning Gulf oil slick to save coastline

[boston bean]

The U.S. Coast Guard could begin burning off portions of a Gulf of Mexico oil slick as early as Wednesday, as the pool of crude began to encroach on sensitive ecological areas in the Mississippi River Delta.

The option is one of several that Coast Guard officials were considering as the oil slick moved to within 20 miles of the Louisiana coastline.

Officials say the oil spill has the potential to become one of the worst in U.S. history.

Oil is still leaking at a rate of about 42,000 gallons a day from the well, located some 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana. A drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon, exploded and sank at the site last week.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/28/louisiana.oil.rig.fire/

As one of the commenters, commented: Spill baby Spill!

[MadHound]

1. Yeah, but how long can they do this?

It is looking increasingly less and less likely that the blowout valve is going to be activated, which means that oil is going to be spewing for weeks or months while they try other methods. Do we really want to have a massive oil fire going for that time?

[boston bean]

2. I am no expert, and maybe someone else can chime in, but

I don't think they have much choice at this moment.

It is definitely not a good option, but might be the best considering the potential damage to the coast line and the ecology????

Still sucks though!

[AndyA]

3. Off shore drilling is safe and no hazard to the environment.

Let's open up more areas off shore for drilling, it's good for America... :eyes:

Burn, baby, burn! The ice up north won't mind. Neither will the Polar Bears. Or the coral.

Obviously, there are safety concerns that need to be addressed, none of the protections in this particular design appear to work.

[boston bean]

4. Yep, it's a bad option.

[doc03]

5. Drill baby Drill n/t