Untested after untested measures to cut off the continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico have all failed and you shouldn't be surprised.  When the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon occurred, eventually leading to the collapse and sinking of the rig causing the massive growing oil spill, most people had no idea that a similar event happened way back in 1979, also in the Gulf of Mexico.

While there are and will continue to be questions as to how to improve a failed regulatory structure, as well as the lack of investment in safety technologies since the 1979 Ixtoc 1 oil spill, it's important to take a look at what the oil industry was using as a response to the first Gulf large spill.

Back in old 1979 at the Ixtoc Mexican government owned spill in only 160 feet of water which ended up gushing oil for 10 months before relief wells could be drilled, they tried the 'top hat' to syphon oil which failed, they tried the 'junk shot' which failed, and they tried to cap the well, which failed.  Head back to the present day and you can see that the solutions being used today are not only based on old ideas, no one has even bothered to improve upon them as the depth of drilling has increased in depth.  Even the use of the trusty old oil boom to contain and suck up oil hasn't been improved upon since that time.  This leads me to wonder how this could even be possible?

I tend to think of myself as a reasonable person, I even think that its possible to drill for oil as long as you put as much effort into safety as you do into maximizing profits.  I actually believe that you can make good money while being safe and if an accident happens (as they always do) you're prepared to the best of your ability to meet the challenge.  I've said it before, but the parallels between the lack of oversight, regulations and responsibility are mirrored in other disasters we've felt recently, such as the West Virginia mine explosion and the financial collapse.  In fact the West Virginia Mine operator is still  receiving safety infractions at the sight of the accident.  Truly mind boggling.

In any event I think Rachel Maddow did an excellent piece a while back discussing the similarities between the 1979 oil spill and the current one threatening, not only the livelihoods of those on the coast, but untold numbers of marine life, even whole species.

Watch the clip below:

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