Somehow it's not surprising that another rig has caught fire in the Gulf. Thankfully, this was not nearly as devastating as the BP rig several months back... no lives lost in the fire and subsequent evacuation.
It does, however, point out a flaw in offshore drilling... eventually things do go wrong, and when they do, there is a greater possibility for catastrophic environmental damage. Most Americans do not realize how many oil rigs currently exist in the Gulf. Some websites put the number of rigs at nearly 7,000, although this figure includes rigs that still operate, as well as those that no longer operate, or were damaged, or destroyed when Hurricane Katrina plowed through..
We should all remember that oil is a finite energy resource. If the United States wants to maintain energy independence, now is the time to begin working on alternative plans, rather than wait for this finite source to cease. I wonder why this is such a difficult concept to grasp!
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