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Update: BP Pipeline Corrosion Not A Surprise — Or An Isolated Incident

Remember: On Monday, BP announced the closure of its operations in the nation’s largest oil field, located in Alaska, because of a corrosion in a major pipeline. Now, a few more details are coming to the surface about the company and its role in the incident.

NOT A SURPRISE

• It turns out there was nothing really unexpected about the problems in the oil lines. Last March, the largest oil spill ever in the energy-rich North Slope occurred after a corroded pipe leaked up to 267,000 gallons of crude at Prudhoe Bay. [Think Progress]
• And whattayaknow, Government reports concluded that six other places along the pipeline also had the same corrosion. [Alaska Journal of Commerce] [Thomko]
• The Department of Transportation therefore ordered BP to test for pipeline abnormalities. Not only did BP not follow the order, but it turns out that it had not conducted such a test since 1992. Talk about energy security. [New York Times]
• Oh, and as far as time is concerned: analysts say it could take six months or perhaps a year for production to return to normal. Yea, not a small matter. [AP]

LEGAL PROBLEMS

• Turns out BP has been, and is, in all sorts of troubles. Most recently, the EPA has launched a criminal probe, following this latest incident, to determine whether the company was negligent in managing the pipeline. But that’s not all, folks! [Washington Post]
• A criminal investigation into the March oil spill is still ongoing.
• In 2005, an explosion at a Texas City refinery killed 15 people, leading the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to fine the company a record $21.4 million for more than 300 alleged violations.
• Oh, and the Federal Trade Commission has also accused BP traders — one of whom has pled guilty — of conspiring to corner the propane market and sparking a sharp rise in the price of the heating fuel. [Chron]

Did we forget to mention that BP has in the meantime managed to pocket $7.27 billion last quarter alone?

People Are Talking: BP and Alaska

You read the story. Now, here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of what people are saying about BP’s crisis in Alaska.

• BP Alaska Exploration President Steve Marshall, from Newshour : “Clearly in hindsight, that program was insufficient, and will be rectified going forward.”
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• BP America chairman Bob Malone, from Newshour : “BP deeply regrets that it’s been necessary for us to take this drastic action.”
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• Edward Jones Energy Analyst Lanny Pendill, from ABC’s World News : “Well there’s no question that BP has had more safety and maintenacy type of issues here in the US than their peers have.”
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• Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen, from ABC’s World News: “The oil industry is raking in the biggest profits in the history of our country. It’s coming at a time when they may be skimping on investing in preventative maintenance.”
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• Thomas Barrett, administrator for pipeline safety for the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), from CBS Evening News : “The industry standard of care would normally you would see much more frquent inspections, much more cleaning of the lines, much more active maintenance processes in place.”
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• Energy Sec. Samuel Bodman, from ABC’s World News : “Accoridng to BP it will take probably months to fix, so we’re gonna deal with the issues at hand.”
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Global Warming: Mountains Fall and Jellyfish Attack

It may sound like something only Hollywood could produce, but two disturbing natural developments have surfaced — and both are being blamed on global warming.

ONE — The Swiss Alps Crumble

• Planning a ski trip to Gstad? Hold that thought. It might not be there this year. [Reuters]
• Turns out that the hot climate scorching the globe is causing a rock the size of two Empire State Buildings in the Swiss Alps to collapse onto the canyon floor nearly 700 feet below,
• Here’s why: retreating glacier ice is robbing the cliff face on the eastern edge of the Eiger Mountain of its main support.
• Scary: in the 2003 heat wave, the Alps may have lost up to a tenth of their volume.
• Scarier: an increase in temperature of only 3 degrees Celsius could cause the alps to lose another 80% of glacier ice by the end of the century. What’s that mean? A dangerous increase in mudslides, avalanches and rockslides.

TWO — Jellyfish Attack

• Along with bacteria and oil spills, here’s one more reason to re-think that beach trip this August. Jellyfish are flooding top vacation spots in Western Europe. [Independent Online]
• In some places along the Mediterranean in Europe, more than 10 jellyfish per square meter have been found. Try boogie boarding in that.
• Here’s the thing: scientists are blaming it on global warming. Usually, jellyfish stay out in the open water, where temperatures are warmer and more saline. However, as the climate gets warmer, the natural temperature barrier between the open sea and the shore is disappearing. Enter the jellyfish swarm.

And just because we love to remind you: Greenland’s melting at a rate of 52 cubic miles per year. *Per year.*

The U.S. Electric Grid: More Congested Than The Lincoln Tunnel

• This may help to explain this summer’s blackouts. [Washington Post]
• A report released by the Department of Energy says that urban centers from Northern Virginia to New York “face unparalleled problems” meeting electricity demand.
• But that’s not all: remote areas such as Montana or the Dakotas will most likely need new electrical transmission lines in the near future, as well.
• The report is being regarded as the first step the government’s taking to ease electrical bottlenecks and avoid blackouts.
• While the Washington-to-New York and Southern California corridors are the biggest problem areas, the report pinpoints four other problem areas in the country: New England, the Phoenix-to-Tucson area in Arizona; the Seattle-to-Portland area in the Pacific Northwest, and the San Francisco Bay area.

Read: stock up on candles.

Health Report: Prescriptions Sky Rocket

• It might be time to put down the Ambien. A report released Monday by Consumers Union of United States Inc. says that the use of prescription sleeping drugs has shot up 50% since 2001. [Los Angeles Times]
• But before you start blaming early morning construction on your need to pop a pill, read this: critics are attributing a large part of the increase to aggressive advertising techniques used by drug companies.
• Hard-hitting ads, experts say, are encouraging a new generation to use medication when it’s not needed. And that’s not healthy.
• Last year, the drug industry spent a whopping $4 billion on consumer advertising — a fivefold increase from a decade ago.
• Also interesting: the U.S. is one of the only nations that allows advertising for prescription medication.
• And it’s working: “Last year, Americans filled 43 million prescriptions for sleeping pills, up from 29 million in 2001. Sanofi-Aventis’ Ambien, the bestselling sleeping pill, was the 14th-most prescribed drug in the U.S., according to research firm IMS Health Inc.”
• Why are doctors so lose with prescriptions? Good question. Often times, medical professionals are too busy to fight with patients over diagnosing non-life-threatening conditions such as insomnia. In other words, doc prescribes, patient sleeps, patient’s happy.
• But not without risks: prescription drugs often carry side-effects. Ambien, in particular, has been linked to memory loss and sleepwalking.

It could be time to cut back to Chamomile...

Good News, Bad News

Nervous about talking to that dreamy barista at your local Starbucks? Have an easier time typing “TTYL” than saying goodbye? Turns out you may be part of a growing trend. Enter couple-surfing: the newest wave in technologically advanced dating. Let’s look at the pros and cons. [Reuters]

GOOD NEWS

“Tender electroverts” finally get dates; romantic gazes over the tops of matching iBooks.

BAD NEWS

Phrases like “tender electroverts” entering our everyday usage.

Quote Of The Day

“Personally, I don’t know what all the shouting is about. Global warming is great. Granted, maybe it isn’t really happening, and if it is there are strong reasons to doubt that humans have anything to do with it. But if the world is warming, I say ‘bravo...’ When you are enjoying the surfing at your beach house in upper Newfoundland, you won’t care what caused global warming, you’ll just thank goodness it happened.”

- National Review editor James S. Robbins, pointing out the benefits of apocalyptic surfing. [Think Progress]

Speed Round

AUDIO — THE MIDDLE EAST

Israeli UN Amb. Dan Gillerman, from Newshour: “Israel is ready to cease hostilities and to withdraw its forces if these effective measures will come in its place so that the terrorist threat on its citizens will finally be brought to an end.”

AUDIO — THE MIDDLE EAST

Lebanese UN Special Envoy Tarek Mitri, from Newshour: “The draft resolution not only falls short of meeting many of our legitimate requests, but it also may not bring about the results that the international community hopes it would achieve.”

IRAQ

More violence: bombing and robbery kill a total of 23 in Baghdad. [AP]

IMMIGRATION

Nine suspected illegal immigrants die in an attempt to flee the Arizona Border Patrol. [AP]

INTERNET

Google and MySpace join forces, plan to take over universe by first quarter ‘07. [AP]

MEDICINE

Paxil’s sad: Researchers announce striking success of an injection that may treat depression much faster than normal anti-depressants. [Washington Post]

NYC

Two photo exhibits commemorating 9/11’s five-year anniversary to open near WTC site. [AP]

GAS PRICES

Good thing Californians don’t drive a lot. BP shut down expected to hit West Coast the hardest. [CNN]

THE FED

Breathe: The Fed leaves key interest rate unchanged, after a long period of hiking it up. [AP]

TECHNOLOGY

Sprint/Nextel forgets about our cell phone woes, decides to focus energy on new wireless technology. [AP]

TWINS

*Formerly* conjoined twins are successfully separated, expected to fight over who gets the kidney. [AP]

WEATHER

Fingers crossed: experts lower their hurricane predictions. [AP]

BUS SAFETY

Throw that fire extinguisher down a well — it’s useless. [AP]

CONGRESS

Who knew politics was such a family business. There are more than fifty senators and representatives who are related to other or former members of congress, governors, and even presidents. That’s double what it was twenty years ago. [USA Today]

WRONG MESSAGE

Health officials in Philadelphia pull back ads encouraging HIV testing. And why would they do that? Well, they portrayed a young black man in a gun’s cross hairs. [AP]

FDA

Almost there: FDA and drug makers move closer to morning after pill becoming over the counter. [New York Times]

COMFORTING

Shocking: report says anti-terror efforts are unfocused. [Washington Post]

CONNECTICUT

Lamont defeats Lieberman in Connecticut primary. [New York Times]