I have a problem with the rising cost of gasoline due to the Alaskan pipeline being shut down. This week on Nightline, I obtained the following information:
In Texas, there was an explosion at the BP facility killing 15 and injuring 107. This company holds the record for the most fatalities of any oil company in the nation. They have paid over $25,000,000 in fines to OSHA and other safety organizations for safety and marketing problems. Criminal charges were filed against them 1 month ago for energy tade regulations. They have been skipping out on their maintainence because they say they are a "Low federal priority" in the oil industry. The BP company has some of the biggest profits in the nation. Much of the pipeline (over 19 miles) is being shutdown due to pipes being so corroded, so thin, and so leaky that they do not even meet the minimum safety requirements. They found 16 anomolies in 12 separate locations where the thickness was over 70% worn down. There has been a pipe rupture in the past spilling 200,000 gallons of oil. This could have been prevented if periodic inspections had been done. They have not inspected their pipes since 1999. All they had to do was send a device called a "Smart Pig" through the pipes. The Pig measures the thickness of the walls of the pipes. And yet all they are doing for the public is making a "public apology". This problem was due to their negligence and I think they should absorb the cost of rising gas prices as punishment for what they have caused, on top of any fines they have to pay. I won't go in a BP station to even buy a piece of bubble gum. I urge everyone to do the same. If they start losing money on sales, maybe they'll learn to take safety and inspections more seriously.
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About Me
- Vicki
- I am now an RN. I love taking pictures, especially of my grandchildren. I love taking care of people and wish there was more time to do it. Management puts so much paperwork and picky stuff on us we really don't have time to do the job we are destined to do.
4 comments:
WOW! That is so WRONG!! I have not bought gas or go into BP station in a long time.. I usually go to Raceway or others.. I'm going to link to your page about this on my blog..
Thanks for posting about this.. Love ya! M-
I don't buy gas from BP, but truth be really known I would say that most of the gas companies has stuff like this going on in the background that we really don't hear about on a daily basis. I'm not defending BP, but in the end it's all about making money with the big companies, and they can't make money if they have to spend so much in maintenance. It's all a cut corners game and the consumer (that's us) winds up paying the price in the end (literally at the pump) and no it's not right but unfortunately it happens. :(
I know it happens but they have had to pay more safety fines than any other oil company. I know the main thing on their minds is making money, but they shouldn't endanger the lives of their workers and ALL oil companies should do routine checks on their pipelines.
Agreed.
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