Make+Offshore+Drilling+in+the+Gulf+Possible+Again

Kourtney LaVanway Sonja Mack English 112 6 February 2012 Make Offshore Drilling in the Gulf Possible Again Ever since that fateful day of April 20, 2010, the lives of many Americans have changed— the lives of offshore oil well workers in the Gulf of Mexico, that is. The fire burned for 36 hours before the rig sank, and hydrocarbons leaked into the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days before the well was closed and sealed, becoming the BP oil spill. This tragic event was an accident. The ban that President Obama placed on offshore drilling in the Gulf was an even more tragic event, than the actual spill itself. Working on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean already brings stress to the lives of oil well workers, easing that stress a little by giving back the ability to work close to home again—in the Gulf of Mexico would give jobs back to the nearly 13,000 hard working men and women who lost their jobs that day. Joseph Mason, author of “The Economic Cost of a Moratorium on Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration to the Gulf Region,” said in his statement to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, “ We knew all along that even the most honorable businessmen could not support their workers without revenue income in the long term. We are now progressing into that long term. As rig workers and other employees directly related to oil and gas development tighten their belts or leave the region, the rest of the region suffers.” I know this all too well when my brother-in-law, Scott, does this job every day. It was especially stressful when he lost his job in the Gulf. He is now working on an oil rig in Egypt. This isn’t only hard on him; it’s hard for our whole family with him being so far away. It takes him two days to get from Florida to Egypt, through a combination of airplane, train and helicopter rides. He works for a month, it takes two days to get back, and then he is home for three weeks. And the rotation continues. These men and women don’t get holidays off to spend with their families, like you and I often do. In my family, when we celebrate Christmas always depends when Scott is home. These brave workers risk their lives every day. Could you imagine the fear in their eyes when they hear that a hurricane is coming right towards them? I would be terrified for my life, as well as all of my coworker’s lives if that was me. It’s not only the hurricanes they need to be prepared for; there are tropical storms, rain storms, and even just a day with high winds! When I asked Scott, “What is the most dangerous way you risk your life every day at work?” I received this answer, “Weather can play into it from time to time. But being offshore and getting hurt or having a minor illness can be major. Yes, we have medic's on board that can handle minor issues, but when the minor issues turn into major issues it could be 3 to 7 hours before you get to land in an emergency room, or a real doctor. So, that is one thing that is on my mind. Also, after the Deep Water Horizon [BP oil spill] most rigs are working overseas now which makes dealing with an ER even worse in a foreign country.” I had never thought of this before he told me. When they work in the Gulf, it would still take hours to get back to the main land, but when they get there, they are guaranteed to be in a hospital in the United States. Also, having to work overseas can become dangerous. Since Scott works off the shores of Egypt, with Egypt also being the closest main land, it was very dangerous for him to be working there when they were rioting this past year. The government of Egypt cut off all types of communication, so he was unable to talk to his family, who were left wondering when he was going to come home. Egypt was also not allowing anyone to leave the country, and this was all happening when Scott was supposed to be starting his journey home, but was forced to stay several extra weeks until he could leave. Many people believe that the ban should remain in effect due to the spill causing so much damage to the marine life and to the cities along the Gulf, but BP has spent more than $3 billion to clean up the mess that caused so much damage. Beaches are completely restored; research projects are in effect to maintain healthy marine life; and all equipment has been tested multiple times to prevent another spill. But to provide jobs to help boost our economy, the ban must be lifted so that drilling in the Gulf can become reality again. Although some of the ban has been lifted, not near enough oil rigs have been opened back up to replace the amount of jobs that were lost. The BP oil spill was a tragic event, but since it was an accident, and it only happened to that one rig, it’s not very likely that it’s going to happen to all of them! The other oil rig companies and their employees should be allowed to continue their work in the Gulf of Mexico.