Subject: prayer for gulf of mexico from Dr. Masaru Emoto
Reply-To: “midge jolly, midwife” <midgewife@earthlink.net>

Dear friends and family of the gulf of mexico,
please share this prayer for the gulf widely.
fyi…a global prayer circle will be taking place
at 3pm local time using this prayer Sunday 6/20.
  “””” Dr. Masaru Emoto is the scientist from Japan who has done all the research and publications about the characteristics of water. Among other things, his research revealed that water physically responds to emotions.Many people have the predominantly angry emotion when we consider what is happening in the Gulf. And while justified in that emotion, we may be of greater assistance to our planet and its life forms if we sincerely, powerfully and humbly pray the prayer that Dr. Emoto, himself, has proposed.

   I am passing this request to people I believe may be willing to participate in this prayer, to set an intention of love and healing that is so large, so overwhelming that we can perform a miracle in the Gulf of Mexico.

   We are not powerless. We are powerful.

   Our united energy, speaking this prayer daily…multiple times daily…can literally shift the balance of destruction that is happening.We don’t have to know how…we just have to recognize that the power of love is greater than any other power active in the Universe today.

   “I send the energy of love and gratitude to the waters and all living creatures
   in the Gulf of Mexico and its surroundings.
   To the whales, dolphins, pelicans, fish, shellfish, planktons,
   corals, algae … to ALL  living creatures … I am sorry.
   Please forgive me. Thank you.
   I Love You.”
   Please join me in often repeating this Healing Prayer by Dr. Emoto.
   Feel free to send it around the planet. Lets take charge … and do our own clean up.!”””

….forwarded to me by Flash Silvermoon

video link interview with Masaru Emoto  <http://www.examiner.com/x-2858-Transitions–Grief-Examiner~y2010m6d13-Blessing-of-the-Gulf-of-Mexico-from-Rev-Patricia-Reiter–Sunday-June-20-2010-3PM-EST-video>

Special thanks to Gail Lima

http://dailyhurricane.com/2010/06/cant-you-just-crimp-well-shut-how-about-nuking-it-nope.html

By eljefebob on June 15, 2010 7:30 AM |

Shortly after the BP’s Mississippi Canyon Block 252 well blew out, President Obama imposed a six month moratorium on deepwater drilling, pending conclusions and recommendations from investigations of the disaster that has once again put a laser beam on the fragility of our oil supply.  Howls from the industry immediately ensued, followed very quickly by Gulf states politicians, who are big recipients of oil industry campaign contributions.  Workers and contractors, who will be the ones most deeply affected, have, also understandably voiced their opposition.  Many analogies have been drawn (mostly misplaced), such as some proclaiming that when an airliner crashes, we don’t stop flying.  It’s just a guess, but I would posit that if an airline crash destroyed the economies of 4 states, most of those affected would have a very different attitude and scream for an immediate halt to flying airliners.  That’s not the case here, however.

Setting aside obvious political posturing by the usual suspects, I understand the opposition to a pause in deepwater drilling.  I really do.  I also understand the hardship on deepwater workers and their families, especially the ones living in states whose economies are already (pardon the pun) under water.  However, the economic loss to these families can be mitigated by getting BP to pay the bill here, since they are the guilty party, and a combination of federal, state, and local programs can help get everyone through this period.  We simply need to make the most of this time; I can’t, in good conscience, argue to put workers back out on floating drilling rigs in thousands of feet of water knowing that the safety systems in place are inadequate, and that most companies drilling in the deepwater couldn’t (again, pardon the pun) weather a catastrophe such as BP has created. 

Here are the key issues as I see them:

Only 4 of the dozen or so companies drilling in the deepwater would survive an incident of this magnitude and pay for the damages: BP, Shell, Chevron, and Exxon.  If this disaster would have happened with any of the other deepwater operators, they would already be bankrupt, the clean-up would be all on the taxpayers, and we would be having a very different conversation than we are currently having.  Deepwater is a big boy game, and if we are to continue exploring here, cost, risk, reward, and clean-up responsibilities must all be pooled to assure that fixing a huge mess like this doesn’t fall to the taxpayer.

Sea floor safety systems including BOPs and EDSs (blowout preventers and emergency disconnect systems) must be redesigned to contemplate a failure such as this one.  Blind shears must be able to cut whatever is run through them, or redundancy designed so that shear rams are always opposite a component they can cut.  Second, the kill and choke lines must be accessible by ROV without the presence of a rig.  Weeks were lost in this disaster while the kill and choke lines were re-fabricated by ROVs so a kill manifold (also fabricated) could be tied in. 

Acoustic communications systems (even though it wouldn’t have prevented this blowout) must be installed.  This would eliminate possible failures in umbilical systems currently used in the Gulf.  Testing of these acoustic systems must assure that there is no negative effect on immediately surrounding sea life if it is used.
Third party witnessed safety systems tests must be immediately enacted.  Representatives from the MMS (or its successor agency) must be present for all BOP and safety system tests.  These reps could be MMS employees or contractors, but must be independent from the operator/drilling contractor/service companies on the rig.  Third parties must certify the condition and the functionality of the BOP stack each time it is pulled and re-run.  Current drawings of all sea floor safety systems must be on the rig, and on file with the drilling contractor on the shore.

Regulations around approval of offshore drilling permits, drilling and production plans, filed regional remediation plans, as well as plans for drilling programs, casing design, and completion programs must be tightened.  BP’s decision to go with a top to bottom long string rather than a liner/tieback design was one of the critical errors that could have prevented this blowout.  I’ll be writing about this issue in the next few days.
Design and manufacture of temporary risers and deepwater oil collection systems must be completed.  We are still waiting for the remedial riser system that is supposed to be sized to handle all of the flow from this well as oil continues to roar into the Gulf.  Before we go back to drilling, this type of system must be designed, tested, and staged in critical areas for rapid deployment.

A massive effort must be undertaken to completely rethink and redesign oil spill recovery techniques, including the use of dispersants, if any.  No real effort has been made in the last 40 years to advance oil spill clean-up technology and it is painfully clear that what we are currently doing simply doesn’t work.  Whether it’s Kevin Costner’s centrifuge or giant oil sucking tankers, the techniques need to be perfected, the equipment manufactured, and the devices deployed to critical staging areas to meet the challenge of a massive spill before it reaches the shore.

As painful as this moratorium is, the industry, as well as our politicians, must have the courage and be willing to rethink the way we drill in the deepwater.  This productive region has become critical to our energy supply, allowing us to import less oil from countries who hate us, but this resource cannot come at the cost of destruction of eco-systems and local economies.  It’s going to take a year for this level of redesign, and the sooner everyone recognizes and embraces that fact, the sooner we can get to work. 

And there’s a lot of work to be done.

Special thanks to  Richard Charter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 15, 2010
 
CONTACT:
Lautenberg Press Office 202.224.3224
  
HAVING RELIEF WELL IN PLACE BEFORE SPILL WOULD STOP LEAKS MORE QUICKLY
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today introduced legislation that would require oil companies to drill emergency relief wells at all new drilling sites off the coast of the United States.  Relief wells are a proven way of stopping an oil spill; however, once a leak has started, the damage inflicted in the months it takes to complete a relief well can be devastating.  While the BP spill began in April, the relief wells being drilled are not expected to be completed until August.  Lautenberg’s bill would require pre-emptive relief well drilling and limit the damage to our nation’s environment and coastal economy when oil spills like the one in the Gulf occur.
 
“My bill takes a common-sense step to contain damages that come with the inherently dangerous drilling business.  If relief wells had been in place before the BP rig explosion, the gushing oil could have been stopped in weeks instead of months,” Lautenberg said.  “Clean energy that will reduce our dependence on oil is the long-term solution – but while offshore drilling continues in the Gulf and Alaska, this bill provides a proven way to contain oil spill drilling disasters.  I will also continue to oppose any energy proposal in the Senate that does not protect New Jersey from oil drilling in the Atlantic.”
 
The “Emergency Relief Well Act” would require the concurrent drilling of at least one relief well whenever a new exploratory or development well is drilled.  Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen has discussed requiring oil companies to drill relief wells in tandem with the main well, saying the idea is “a legitimate point to be raised,” Allen also said, regarding the current spill, “The long-term solution is going to be drilling the relief wells.”
 
Nearly two months after the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig explosion, the BP oil spill has already poured more than 50 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.  After numerous attempts to stop the oil failed – including a containment dome, the “top kill” procedure, and the “junk shot”- the drilling of a relief well appears to be the only way to permanently stop the gushing oil.  Relief wells were also used successfully to stop two of the world’s largest spills, the Ixtoc Spill in Mexico in 1979 and the Montara Spill in Australia in 2009.  In both cases, the relief wells took several months to complete.  The Emergency Relief Well Act will be directed to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
 
As one of the Senate’s leading critics of offshore drilling, Lautenberg has worked to hold Big Oil accountable and increase investments in clean energy development that reduces the nation’s dependence on oil.  In recent weeks, he has:

Introduced the Beyond Petroleum Act (S. 3343) that would assess a fee on offshore drilling leases to generate nearly $2 billion per year for the development of clean alternatives to oil.
Co-sponsored the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Liability Act (S. 3305), which eliminates the cap on damages BP must pay to those injured by the spill.
Offered an amendment to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill requiring BP to reimburse the government for all spill-related expenditures.
Introduced a bill (S. 3443) to eliminate the requirement that regulators approve drilling plans within 30-days, allowing regulators unlimited time to evaluate the potential risk of specific proposals.
# # #

Special thanks to  Richard Charter

http://www.ogj.com/index/article-display/3670569828/articles/oil-gas-journal/general-interest-2/hse/2010/06/bp-plans_to_collect/QP129867/cmpid=EnlDailyJune152010.html

Jun 15, 2010
Paula Dittrick
OGJ Senior Staff Writer

HOUSTON, June 15 — BP PLC has provided the US Coast Guard with plans to collect 40,000-53,000 b/d of oil by June 30 from the deepwater Macondo blowout well on Mississippi Canyon Block 252 in the Gulf of Mexico.

This range of oil expected to be collected represents installed design capacities of various drillships, tankers, and multiservice vessels that BP is using or plans to use. “Any unplanned events will impact actual delivery,” of oil volumes, BP said in a June 12 letter to USCG Rear Adm. James A. Watson.

By mid-July, BP plans for total possible collection capacity of 60,000-80,000 b/d. BP said it is moving a floating, production, storage, and offloading vessel from South America. The FPSO has a capacity of 25,000 b/d, and it will take an estimated 4 weeks to arrive. Ownership details on the FPSO were not disclosed.

The FPSO will provide redundancy in case of failure of the Toisa Pisces or the Helix Producer, BP said in a letter to Watson. The collection systems are being put in place pending completion of at least one of two relief wells currently being drilled, BP said.

The Helix Producer is a 528-ft floating production unit with 45,000 b/d of capacity. BP has a contract for at least 60 days for the Helix Producer with its owner, Houston-based Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc. Plans are for the Helix producer to load oil onto the Toisa Pisces, a Liberian-flagged well testing and service vessel owned by Sealion Shipping Ltd. The Toisa Pisces can produce 20,000-25,000 b/d of oil.

The Helix Producer and Toisa Pisces are expected to be working by June 30 on the oil spill, which resulted from an Apr. 20 blowout of the Macondo well, and a resulting explosion and fire on Transocean Ltd.’s Deepwater Horizon semisubmersible. Eleven crew members died in the blast. The semi sank Apr. 22.

Currently, a lower marine riser package cap on the failed Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer is collecting oil and gas that goes to the Transocean Discoverer Enterprise drillship, which can process from 15,000-18,000 b/d of oil.

BP said the Q4000, a multiservice e vessel owned by Helix, will collect 5,000-10,000 b/d of oil. For a few weeks, this oil will be burned using a clean-burning system until floating production units and tankers can be put into place.

In the future, BP also plans to use the Discoverer Leader, another Transocean deepwater drillship. It will be able to process 10,000-15,000 b/d of oil.

Contact Paula Dittrick at paulad@ogjonline.com. Thanks to Richard Charter

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-16/bp-oil-spill-lawsuits-spread-to-states-beyond-gulf-coast.html
BP Oil Spill Lawsuits Spread to States Beyond Gulf Coast
June 16, 2010, 12:03 AM EDT
By Laurel Brubaker Calkins and Margaret Cronin Fisk
June 16 (Bloomberg) — BP Plc faces more than 225 lawsuits in 11 states as litigation from businesses, individuals and investors continues to increase almost two months after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded.

In addition to scores of claims brought in five states along the Gulf shore, coastal businesses and property owners in Georgia and South Carolina have sued for damages from the drifting oil, which has yet to round the southern tip of Florida and enter the Atlantic Ocean.

Investors in three states, including Louisiana and Alaska, have sued BP’s board of directors for allegedly causing more than $50 billion in shareholder losses by failing to implement safety policies that would have prevented the spill. In a separate class-action lawsuit in Florida, the company is accused of “a pattern” of criminal acts including fraud. That suit seeks triple damages under federal civil racketeering law.

“The damage is not just suffered at ground zero along the Gulf Coast,” said Mark Lanier, a Houston lawyer representing dozens of fishermen and property owners against BP. “The shock waves reverberate across state lines and across occupational lines.”
A judge may decide there isn’t a strong enough connection between some damage claims and the spill itself and those claims will be thrown out, Lanier said yesterday in a phone interview. “But we’re not at that point yet,” he said.

Primary Liability

BP, as owner of the underwater lease, has primary liability for damages caused by the tens of millions of gallons of crude oil that have spewed from the damaged well since the April explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon. Almost all the lawsuits also name Transocean Ltd., which owned the rig, along with Cameron International Corp. and Halliburton Energy Services Inc., which provided the rig’s blowout prevention equipment and cementing services, respectively.

David Nicholas, a BP spokesman, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment yesterday.

BP America Inc. Chairman Lamar McKay told Congress in May that the company will pay all “legitimate” claims related to the spill. On June 2, Credit Suisse estimated the combined cleanup, restoration and litigation costs of the spill could top $37 billion.

President Barack Obama said yesterday in a televised speech that he will tell BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg in a White House meeting today that the London-based company must set aside “whatever resources are required to compensate the workers and business owners who have been harmed as a result of his company’s recklessness.”
Securities Lawsuits

Three lawsuits claiming securities fraud were filed by BP investors in federal courts in Louisiana. The lawsuits, each seeking to represent buyers of BP American depositary receipts in a class action, claim the company and its officials inflated share values by issuing “materially false and misleading statements” about BP’s safety record and protocols.

“BP’s procedures for minimizing its financial losses from drilling rig problems were no more than fantasies,” said lawyers for the Johnson Investment Counsel in a June 7 filing in Lafayette, Louisiana. “BP was simply not the enterprise that its public communications pictured.”

The lawsuit claims BP’s actions cost investors more than $56 billion in share value by May 25. The plaintiff is an investment holding company, said its attorney Stanley M. Chesley at Waite, Schneider, Bayless & Chesley in Cincinnati.

Directors Targeted

At least five so-called derivative lawsuits brought by shareholders on behalf of BP were filed against current and former officers and directors of the company. These lawsuits, filed in state and federal courts in Alaska, Delaware and Louisiana, contend that company mismanagement led to the April 20 explosion.

The spill “is a catastrophe of epic proportions brought by the greed and fraudulent conduct of BP,” according to a civil racketeering lawsuit filed June 12 in Florida that names as defendants the company, various corporate entities, and Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward.
The lawsuit alleges that BP “successfully infiltrated” the Minerals Management Service, the federal regulatory agency overseeing off-shore drilling, and “systematically submitted unsubstantiated and erroneous exploration and oil spill response plans and lease agreements.”

Although oil has yet to leave the Gulf of Mexico, three proposed class-action lawsuits were filed last week in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, on behalf of property owners, tourism-related businesses, real estate companies and other businesses in six coastal counties. Lawyers involved in those cases say fears the slick will foul beaches later this summer already have caused tourists to cancel trips and vacation rentals.

‘Already Hurting Us’

“The actual spill may not have reached our shores but the effects have,” attorney Aaron Jophlin of the Bell Legal Group LLC in Georgetown, South Carolina, said in an interview. “We hear the effects from our friends and neighbors that, man, it’s already hurting us.”

Owners of condominiums and hotels in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, where oil is now washing ashore on beaches regularly listed among those with the world’s whitest sand, have filed dozens of lawsuits over lost business. Charter boat operators, fishing guides, marinas, souvenir vendors and watercraft-rental shops as far south as the Florida Keys are suing.

Some of New Orleans’s largest convention hotels, including the Marriott Convention Center and Wyndham Riverfront, have sued over bookings they claim they will lose now and into the future. Meeting planners, who work years in advance, may avoid booking conventions in coastal resorts just as they did after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the central Gulf Coast in 2005, lawyers for the hotels say.

Katrina Effect

While most New Orleans hotels and restaurants reopened fairly quickly after Katrina, “We still had a tail of lost business for a couple of years” as meeting planners avoided the region, said Steve Herman, a lawyer for the hotels.

Restaurant owners throughout the Gulf Coast are suing over higher seafood prices and the reduced supply of fresh shrimp, oysters and fish, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has closed 32 percent of the Gulf to commercial fishing. About 75 percent of shrimp and 20 percent of all seafood consumed in the U.S. comes from the Gulf, according to papers filed in multiple lawsuits.

Restaurateurs also are suing over lost income, claiming customers are avoiding seafood altogether over fears of contamination.

Fishing Fleet

Whole fleets of fishing industry workers have arrived at Gulf courthouses, including 11,700 individually named Vietnamese-American commercial fishermen who filed six lawsuits against BP and Transocean in federal court in Houston.

Thirty-three Mexican citizens who own or work on fishing boats or in seafood processing plants along the U.S. Gulf coast have sued BP and Transocean over lost income from the closure of Gulf waters.

Residents in Kentucky and Tennessee, who own Gulf beachfront properties, have sued over lost income from rental cancellations as well as the lost enjoyment of their own vacation homes.

“BP has grievously injured the entire country, not simply a city, parish, county or state,” Houston attorney Michael Holley, who represents multiple spill victims, said yesterday in an interview. “Hundreds of thousands — soon to be millions — of Americans are seeking redress anywhere it can be obtained, and the litigation will continue to spread as the oil and the harm continues to flow.”
BP shares have dropped 48 percent since the spill. They fell 3.8 percent to 342 pence in London trading yesterday, the lowest price since April 1997.
______________________

–With assistance from Leslie Snadowsky in New Orleans and Stanley Reed in Washington. Editors: Michael Hytha, Peter Blumberg.
To contact the reporters on this story: Laurel Brubaker Calkins in Houston at laurel@calkins.us.com; Margaret Cronin Fisk in Southfield, Michigan, at mcfisk@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: David E. Rovella at drovella@bloomberg.net.

Thanks to Richard Charter