TechMiso

In case you’ve been living under a rock or in an alternate universe, BP plc has screwed up royally (again, but we’ll get to that later) due to the explosion of their oil rig, the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico causing the unrestricted release of thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf. Sadly, eleven people died in the tragedy.

Also in case you thought that the Gulf of Mexico is in Mexico and thusly is of no concern to you, it’s not. Well, it is, but it’s also partially in the good old USA. Specifically, it’s off the coast of Florida and Louisiana. Of course, since it’s in USA waters, the result is a global public uproar placing BP under the intense scrutiny of the global media and population. Everyone in the world thinks that BP has screwed them over and now feels that BP owes them something, meaning everyone has BP under a magnifying glass.

And I mean, magnifying glass. Everyone in the world can keep themselves updated in real-time on everything that BP is doing to fix the problem. Despite a very, very spotty safety record, this was apparently the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. So much so that BP is going over the top to show that they’re doing everything that they can to fix the problem, including using cheap labour courtesy of American criminals. Even though they claim that the accident wasn’t their fault at all (!), they’re trying to make amends by making their efforts as transparent as possible.

The result is an amazing use of technology to keep BP operating under a microscope. I mean, seriously, I knew that the technology was possible, but I didn’t think it could be implemented so widely and cheaply.

The following are the top 10 websites that, with the impressive abilities of technology, will keep you updated on everything (and I mean, everything) about the spill, BP, all related topics – and ultimately provide the fodder with which the world will judge BP for their actions:

1. BP has set up a website dedicated to showcasing minute-by-minute details on what they’re doing to fix the problem. You can also sign up for SMS alerts at BP’s Deepwater Horizon Response website.
2. Just to make sure they’re being completely transparent, BP’s live feed from Remotely Operated Vehicles lets you keep an eye on their activities from 5,000 feet below the surface just in case you think that they’re pulling anything funny (this one kept me pretty occupied for a while)
3. The EPA is making sure you know exactly how much BP has polluted the Gulf with up-to-date air, water, sediment and waste management data
4. In case that wasn’t enough, the EPA is letting you use their aircraft, the ASPECT, to show you where the oil is, with a step-by-step guide on how to use the aircraft to find it
5. BBC has conveniently provided an interactive guide showing BP’s efforts to stem the free flow of oil into the Gulf as well as the spread of oil to date
6. Reuters has kindly informed the world about the laws that can be used to prosecute BP, whether or not they will be used, and explores the possible future scenarios for the corporation http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6520O420100603
7. National Geographic has set up a dedicated news page exploring the environmental impact of the spill as it happens
8. USA’s Office of Response and Restoration also has a “one-stop shop for spill response information”, using a web-based tool to map the spread and trajectory of oil
9. The CDC has jumped on the bandwagon making sure you know how the oil spill will affect your health, whether through exposure to the oil dispersants or the heat
10. And of course, the God of the internet, Google has a Crisis Response website dedicated to the spill to keep the world updated

Ain’t technology grand?