In recent weeks we've been inundated with media reports on the deep sea oil drilling that has commenced this week off the Raglan coast.
Many of those reports contained references and "facts" from studies on the risks and potential impact of an oil spill off New Zealand's West Coast.
I say "facts" because, in my opinion, information in some studies seems to be based on preconceived outcomes and research is dug up to support an argument.
You'd be hard pressed to find anyone prepared to debate how devastating an oil spill would be to New Zealand. It would destroy marine life and our picturesque coastline. The economic fall-out would be far-reaching.
The Rena disaster is a prime example of the impact on the environment and a coastal community and its economy. But what is the real likelihood that an oil spill like the one in the Gulf of Mexico could happen in New Zealand?