Stick This In Your Pipeline and Smoke It

There is a machine that can be used to go through an oil pipeline, like the one up in Prudhoe Bay that has just been shut down.

This machine can tell when the walls of the pipeline are becoming compromised. 

This machine can act as an early warning system.  So that shut downs like the one that just happened don't have to happen.

A machine exactly like this machine has been parked up in Prudhoe Bay for years. 

Parked is the operative word.

The last time it was used to inspect the inside of the pipeline up there wasn't last year. It wasn't the year before that, either.

It wasn't even five years ago.  Or six.

It was last used to check the safety of the pipeline in 1999.

Prudhoe Bay is in an isolated part of the world. There isn't much of anything for anyone to do there except take care of the pipeline. Wipe off the blood of the animals that run into it.  Paint over the rust.  Get out the pipe inspection machine parked out back and take it for a ride inside the pipe.

Every seven years.

The designated hitter from BP called a press conference yesterday when the pipeline had to be closed for repairs.

He regretted the inconvenience to the public. He couldn't have seemed more sorry. I believe I almost saw a tear. When asked why basic maintenance had not been implemented for all this time, he said what every good senior officer of an unregulated, profit sucking multi national conglomerate says when his ass is in a sling, "I forgot."