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Climate change activists would have us believe that offshore oil drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico are among the most dangerous and environmentally destructive creations of humankind. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Offshore oil drilling provides the kind of oil that fracking cannot—oil that can be easily refined to create plastics and jet fuel.
They are among the safest constructions ever made—because of advances in the industry since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, there have been no significant spills from drilling operations since. Rather than harming the marine environment, offshore energy development creates beneficial marine environments.
A typical eight-leg structure can be home to 14,000 fish, and a typical four-leg structure provides up to two to three acres of habitat for hundreds of marine species. Anyone who likes government services should love offshore oil drilling—the industry generated $5.4 billion in government revenue in 2019.
To help listeners understand this amazing technology, we are joined by Louisiana-based Joe Leimkuhler, the Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Offshore Energy LLC. Beacon is a producer of upstream oil & gas from assets located in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Joe is responsible for all company offshore engineering and operations.
From 2012 to 2019, he was the Vice President of Drilling for LLOG Exploration based in Louisiana. Before that, he was the Offshore Well Delivery Manager for Shell International E&P Co, covering all Gulf of Mexico well operations.
Joe is so well qualified in the field that he serves on the Board of Directors of the National Ocean Industries Association and is also Chair of their Health, Safety, and Environment Sub-committee.
Join Dr. Jay Lehr, Tom Harris, and offshore oil drilling expert Joe Leimkuhler in this week’s episode of The Other Side of the Story to learn how vital oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is to America and the unparalleled steps the industry takes to make this amazing technology environmentally friendly.
References relevant to this show:
- “Flip-flop Joe Must Stay the Course on Off-shore Drilling,” by Dr. Jay Lehr and Tom Harris
- “CNBC tours Shell’s offshore drilling platform,” a three-minute video introducing viewers to a $1 billion offshore oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The Olympus Drilling rig (in the background of the reporter) that is located on the platform was the last rig that Joe Leimkuhler contracted for while at Shell. The Mars Platform in the distance was his responsibility from the Discovery well to the first billion barrels produced.