CNN has found a board game I want to play.
The game BP Offshore Oil Strike, which came out in the 1970s and is adorned with an old BP logo, revolves around four players exploring for oil, building platforms and constructing pipelines - all in the name of being the first to make $120 million.CNN found a copy of Offshore Oil Strike at a toy museum in England. I'm guessing they'd be pretty touchy about letting you play the game, since it's so old, and since they're a museum, and since they're English. It would be one of those things where drinks aren't allowed on the table and they'll give you dirty looks if you're eating orange things like Doritoes or Cheetoes.But like the real-life oil game there are some big hazards, too. Players have to deal with the possibility of large-scale oil spills and cover cleanup costs. You struggle with "hazard cards" that include phrases now part of our daily vernacular, including: "Blow-out! Rig damaged. Oil slick cleanup costs. Pay $1 million."
(As an aside, I recently went to the new otter exhibit at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. The exhibit is sponsored by British Petroleum. A placard on the wall next to the otter tank suggests ways to protect the environment. It sports a BP logo. One of the tips, listed under keeping your car maintained, is "Fix oil leaks".)