Key U.S. lawmakers examining the BP PLC oil slick, big energy companies for information on their response asked plans after it was discovered some companies’ plans were errors including the protection of species not living in the Gulf of Mexico.
Politics
In a hearing earlier this month, U.S. representatives Henry Waxman and Edward Markey, both Democrats, big oil company executives blasted for “virtually worthless” and “cookie cutter” plans to handle a deepwater oil spill.
On Monday, they wrote a letter to the chief executives of Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell to find out more about their plans.
“No oil company seems to be better prepared for an oil spill than BP,” they wrote in the letter to the executives. “Each of the oil companies’ oil spill contingency plans are almost identical to the tragic lack of BP oil spill response plan,” they wrote.
The lawmakers said in the hearing on June 15 that business plans include references to the protection of walruses and other animals not living in the Gulf of Mexico in the event of an oil spill.
Markey had blasted the firms walrus – have not been found in the Gulf of Mexico for millions of years – in their plans and to record the name and telephone number of a specialist who died in 2005.
The authors of the companies asked to say whether their response plans would protect the region against a submarine eruption similar to the one at BP is good. Also asked them what they would expect to receive material in the event of a leak, or will their plans and when to work.
source:reuters
Luiri Gold Mining Zambia refutes standard license fee
Explorer Luiri Gold Minerals Ltd (LGL. . . Read more »
Gold rises on demand for investment
Gold settled higher inflation concerns and weaker Treasury yields lured buyers back into the safe haven asset. . . Read more »