Taylor Energy GOM Oil Leak 20X Company Estimates, Could Leak For Decades; "Act Of God" - CEO

[hatrack]

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An oil sheen drifts from the site of the former Taylor Energy oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana, March 31, 2015. Taylor Energy President William Pecue on Wednesday, told a gathering of industry experts and environmental advocates in Baton Rouge the decade-old oil leak that could last for another century was caused by an “act of God” during a hurricane.

BATON ROUGE, La. ­— A decade-old oil leak that could last for another century was caused by an “act of God” during a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico, the president of the company responsible said Wednesday. Taylor Energy President William Pecue told a gathering of industry experts and environmental advocates in Baton Rouge that the company cares “very deeply” about the environment. “This event hits home for us,” said Pecue, the last remaining full-time employee at the New Orleans-based company. “This is our community. We live here and it is very special to us.”

EDIT

An Associated Press investigation last year revealed evidence that the leak is worse than the company, or government, publicly reported during their secretive response. Presented with AP’s findings, the Coast Guard provided a new leak estimate that’s about 20 times larger than one cited by the company in a court filing last year.

Pecue and company-hired experts were scheduled to make most of the presentations Wednesday during the daylong meeting, the first public forum Taylor Energy has hosted since the leak started more than 11 years ago. A moderator warned the audience of several dozen people that video and audio recordings of the meeting were prohibited. The moderator also said speakers would only answer questions put in writing.

EDIT

One of the environmental advocates in the audience was retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who is better known for helping restore order in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Honore, who founded a coalition of environmental groups called “GreenARMY,” said he wants to see more transparency from Taylor Energy and the regulators supervising the company’s work on what he called a “man-made disaster.” “If we didn’t put the [platform] there, this incident wouldn’t have happened,” he said. “I don’t blame God for what happened here.” Honore asked why the company has downplayed the potential environmental impact. Pecue refused to answer, saying he was only taking written questions from the audience. Pecue told Honore he would have to leave if he persisted in asking his question. Honore left the room after Pecue threated to “shut this down.”

EDIT

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/business/20160121/decade-old-oil-leak-blamed-on-act-of-god

[pscot]

1. We care deeply about the environment

so shut the fuck up.

[Nihil]

2. Interesting equivalence: "God" = "profit-driven incompetence"?

Who knew?