There is no such thing as 'benign' offshore oil drilling. It doesn't exist and anyone that states same is a liar.

Oil Spill Cleanup Along 100-Mile Section Of Mississippi River (click here)
Reported by: (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions)
Friday, Jul 25, 2008 @09:04am CST
(New Orleans) -- In a major blow to Mississippi River commerce, at least 100-miles of the waterway between New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico remain closed to commercial traffic while crews work to cleanup and assess the damage from the spill of nearly a half-million gallons of heavy fuel oil.The spill occurred early Wednesday morning at New Orleans when a freighter struck and sunk a barge transporting the oil.Coast Guard Captain Lincoln Stroh still predicts it will be a matter of days before the river is reopened to traffic and weeks before the spill can be cleaned up.Officials with the Port of New Orleans say more than 60 vessels are waiting for clearance to resume their travels.The impact of the spill on the environment and fish and wildlife is still being assessed.