Reader: Time to start drilling again in La.

March 15-April 15: 13th annual Jubilee Festival of the Arts (Thibodaux)
March 1, 2011
Elder abuse … old enough to know better
March 3, 2011
March 15-April 15: 13th annual Jubilee Festival of the Arts (Thibodaux)
March 1, 2011
Elder abuse … old enough to know better
March 3, 2011

Dear Editor,


For almost a year, all deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has been suspended. With the new Marine Well Containment System in place, the moratorium on drilling is entirely unjustified.


Small businesses like mine are struggling mightily since BP won’t pay out to anyone suffering economic losses related to the drilling ban and federal regulators won’t let us get back to work. This new system represents an opportunity to reverse this harmful and unnecessary policy caused by one company’s bad behavior.

The Marine Well Containment System uses the latest technology to guarantee that another disaster doesn’t happen again. It is the most effective and state-of-the-art spill containment system ever produced: It was created for use in deepwater depths of up to 10,000 feet, and it contains a subsea containment assembly that can create a permanent seal to prevent oil from ever entering the ocean.


Perhaps most impressively, this technologically-advanced system was designed, developed and constructed by a U.S.-led group of energy companies working in conjunction with the federal government. This continued cooperation between the oil and gas industry and the federal government is crucial if we are to safely and effectively develop our much-needed energy resources. I don’t need to explain to my fellow Louisianans how vital this industry is to our area and how much a continued moratorium on drilling threatens our economy.

Ongoing delays are unreasonable and unwarranted. It’s time to rescue the Gulf’s economy, start issuing permits and get people working again.

Thomas Clements,

Owner, Oilfield CNC Machining,

Broussard, La.