The Joint Investigation Team of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (“BOEMREâ€) (formerly the Minerals Management Service or “MMSâ€) and the United States Coast Guard, the BOEMRE panel of investigators (“the Panelâ€) have completed their extensive investigations of the Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 men and spewed almost five million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement issued their report today.
The loss of life at the Macondo site on April 20, 2010, and the subsequent pollution of the Gulf of Mexico through the summer of 2010 were the result of poor risk management, lastâ€minute changes to plans, failure to observe and respond to critical indicators, inadequate well control response, and insufficient emergency bridge response training by companies and individuals responsible for drilling at the Macondo well and for the operation of the Deepwater Horizon.
BP, as the designated operator under BOEMRE regulations, 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. Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon, was responsible for conducting safe operations and for protecting personnel onboard. Halliburton, as a contractor to BP, was responsible for conducting the cement job, and, through its subsidiary (Sperry Sun), had certain responsibilities for monitoring the well. Cameron was responsible for the design of the Deepwater Horizon blowout preventer (“BOPâ€) stack.