Carol Forsloff - Whether it was how to take care of an abandoned well or to maintain safety for
deepwater drilling, the oil giant BP and its associates failed in its
responsibilities, thus creating the oil spill and future problems on the
Gulf Coast.
deepwater drilling, the oil giant BP and its associates failed in its
responsibilities, thus creating the oil spill and future problems on the
Gulf Coast.
They also failed from "near misses" says a report of preliminary findings from a committee of the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council.
Critical
checks and balances were not maintained for "abandoning" the
exploratory well or for sealing it prior to production, which did not
properly consider safety standards.
checks and balances were not maintained for "abandoning" the
exploratory well or for sealing it prior to production, which did not
properly consider safety standards.
"Important
decisions made to proceed toward well abandonment despite several
indications of potential hazard suggest an insufficient consideration of
risks" said Donald Winter, former secretary of the Navy, professor of
engineering practice at the University of Michigan, and chair of the study committee.
decisions made to proceed toward well abandonment despite several
indications of potential hazard suggest an insufficient consideration of
risks" said Donald Winter, former secretary of the Navy, professor of
engineering practice at the University of Michigan, and chair of the study committee.
Winter
went on to discuss the consequences of these decisions, "It’s also
important to note that these flawed decisions were not identified or
corrected by BP and its service contractors, or by the oversight process
employed by the U.S. Minerals Management Service and other regulatory
agencies"
went on to discuss the consequences of these decisions, "It’s also
important to note that these flawed decisions were not identified or
corrected by BP and its service contractors, or by the oversight process
employed by the U.S. Minerals Management Service and other regulatory
agencies"
Barriers
to finding out the whole truth of what happened prior to and following
the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 include the
deaths of the 11 witnesses on board, the loss of the oil rig and
important records as well as the problems getting reliable forensics
information from the Maconda well, according to the experts involved in
examining these issues.
to finding out the whole truth of what happened prior to and following
the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 include the
deaths of the 11 witnesses on board, the loss of the oil rig and
important records as well as the problems getting reliable forensics
information from the Maconda well, according to the experts involved in
examining these issues.
Engineers
involved in this critical report tell us part of the problem was the
fact cement was not properly placed and therefore did not provide enough
of a barrier to prevent gases from entering the well. There were also
failures in monitoring the well, allowing hydrocarbons to enter it
undetected. Aggressive and timely action to control the well was not
taken.
The problem of the blowout preventer that did not seal the well once activated was also cited by this committee report.
All
of these conditions fostered the accident that occurred, the BP oil
spill that devastated the Gulf Coast shoreline and that some experts
believe will take many years to properly alleviate the problems that
were caused.
