Transocean claims vindication on BP well blowout

Deepwater Horizon rig owner Transocean Ltd. on Wednesday welcomed several key findings of a major new federal report on the causes of last year’s BP oil spill.

Here’s Transocean spokesman Brian Kennedy:

The report confirms that the primary cause of the incident was the catastrophic failure of the [concrete] in the Macondo well and finally puts to rest all previous allegations that improper maintenance of the [blowout preventer] contributed to the tragedy. As the report rightly concludes, the magnitude of the hydrocarbon release made the ignition and explosion onboard the Deepwater Horizon unavoidable. We take strong exception to criticisms of the Horizon drill crew, nine of whom perished fighting to save their fellow crewmembers and the rig, for the actions they took in the face of such an unprecedented emergency.

The Interior Department and the Coast Guard, who published the report, said BP and its contractors shared blame for the disaster. But they single out BP for a number of serious charges, noting for instance that “cost or time saving decisions without considering contingencies and mitigation were contributing causes of the Macondo blowout.”

BP, however, noted Wednesday that Transocean and Halliburton, the cement contractor for the ill-fated Macondo well that blew out in April 2010, are also faulted in the report.

The accident claimed 11 lives and eventually sent 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Here’s BP’s statement:

BP agrees with the report’s core conclusion consistent with every other official investigation that the Deepwater Horizon accident was the result of multiple causes, involving multiple parties, including Transocean and Halliburton. 

From the outset, BP acknowledged its role in the accident and has taken concrete steps to further enhance safety and risk management throughout its global operations, including the implementation of new voluntary standards and practices in the Gulf of Mexico that exceed current regulatory requirements and strengthen the oversight of contractors. 

We continue to encourage other parties to acknowledge their roles in the accident and make changes to help prevent similar accidents in the future.

In the report, it is stated that there’s evidence that BP — along with Transocean and Halliburton in some cases — violated several federal regulations.

It is noted that BP was “ultimately responsible for conducting operations at Macondo in a way that ensured the safety and protection of personnel, equipment, natural resources, and the environment.”