40 Gallon Diesel Tank
The famed investment adviser and author of Twilight in the Desert shares his views on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, peak oil, and his newest passion, renewable energy.
The growth of the oil industry in the U.S. has been incredible since I first started raising venture capital back in the spring of 1969. Anything beyond 80 feet of water was considered not safe. But a small group of divers in the Santa Barbara Channel were trying to perfect mixed gas diving tables because many of them were on the edge of losing their lives at deeper levels.
I remember when General Offshore Divers finally broke the stranglehold of Associated Divers and got a contract to weld wellheads for Phillips Petroleum. Ken Elmes, one of the top 10 divers for General, had to be put in the hyperbaric chamber. Then Whitey Stefons, who was considered the best diver in the world, put on a bad canister of gas with only 79 percent oxygen as opposed to 82. As he approached 150 feet, he had a grand mal seizure. My friend, Lad Handelman, had to put a tank on his back and get Whitey up to the hyperbaric chamber so he wouldnt die. That was 1969.
Within three years, hyperbaric diving chambers were onboard offshore rigs in the North Sea. Meanwhile, in the Gulf of Mexico, where the shallow shelf goes out about 40 miles before dropping off sharply, they began drilling wells at 300 feet, then 1,000 feet and 2,000 feet, and finally 5,000 to 10,000 feet. For over 41 years, the offshore oil industry never had an accident and obviously got giddy with success.
SPECIAL FEATURE: A Conversation With Matt Simmons - Maritime Executive Magazine (press release)
HUMBOLDT - If a patch of honeydew melons starts sprouting in the fields at Sheldon Park just outside of Humboldt, seemingly in random locations, there's an explanation.
Their seeds arrived after a short flight from Allen Jensen's air-powered, pumpkin-chuckin' cannon. "Honeydew melons hold together the best," he said.
The homemade device was one of many attractions visitors to the sixth annual Humboldt Riverfest could enjoy watching, riding, sliding or launching things from.
Jensen said he built the cannon from a 500 gallon propane tank, pipe, and various pieces of scrap he had laying around. The bore is 7.5 inches, the barrel is 18 feet long.
Riverfest fun isn't limited to water activities - Fort Dodge Messenger
Patriot Transportation Holding, Inc.reported net income of $2,599,000 or $0.83 per diluted share in the third quarter of fiscal 2010, an increase of $3,001,000 compared to a net loss of $402,000 or ($0.13) per diluted share in the same period last year. Net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2010 was $5,377,000 or $1.71 per diluted share, an increase of $2,623,000 or 95.2% compared to net income of $2,754,000 or $0.88 per diluted share for the same period last year.
Third Quarter Operating Results. For the third quarter of fiscal 2010, consolidated revenues were $28,358,000, an increase of $268,000 or 1.0% over the same quarter last year.
The Company announced on January 6, 2010 that the transportation group had been unsuccessful in renewing contracts with customers that represented approximately 11.0% of transportation group revenue in fiscal 2009. In the third quarter, the Company continued to find replacement business for the non-renewed contracts and accordingly revenue miles were only 0.7% lower than the same quarter last year. Transportation segment revenues were $23,064,000 in the third quarter of 2010, an increase of $460,000 over the same quarter last year. Fuel surcharge revenue increased $1,663,000. Excluding fuel surcharges, revenue per mile decreased 5.3% over the same quarter last year due to a longer average haul length and lower revenue per mile on certain replacement business. The average price paid per gallon of diesel fuel increased by $.59 or 27.8% over the same quarter in fiscal 2009.
Mining royalty land segment revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2010 were $1,247,000, an increase of $86,000 or 7.4% over the same quarter last year, due to an increase in mined tons offset by an $11,000 decrease in timber sales.
INCLINE VILLAGE, NEV. - Another overturned big rig is stymying traffic on the Mt. Rose Highway near the Tannenbaum Event Center (formerly the Christmas Tree Restaurant).
Mark Regan of the Sierra Fire Protection District said the driver, the lone occupant of the vehicle, extricated himself and was uninjured. His load of dirt and construction debris is being cleared by various emergency crews.
Five gallons of diesel fuel was spilled, and crews contained it quickly to the highway. “There was no environmental damage,” said Regan.
Contrary to some published reports by regional media, there is no danger of a chemical leak, said Matthew Kaplan of the Nevada Highway Patrol.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — A big-rig driver was cited for speeding Tuesday afternoon after he barreled into a hairpin turn on the Mt. Rose Highway, causing his vehicle to tip onto its side, stymieing traffic for most of the evening.
Mark Regan of the Sierra Fire Protection District, one of the responders to the scene, said Lewis Sologub, the lone occupant of the vehicle, extricated himself and was uninjured. His load of dirt and construction debris spilled onto the highway.
According to Regan, the highway was reduced to one lane of through traffic for several hours while officers conducted an investigation and tow trucks help clear the semi. Five gallons of diesel fuel was spilled, and crews contained it quickly to the highway.
According to Regan, the highway was reduced to one lane of through traffic for several hours while officers conducted an investigation and tow trucks help clear the semi. Five gallons of diesel fuel was spilled, and crews contained it quickly to the highway. “There was no environmental damage,” Regan said.
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