Big Spat on Rig Preceded Explosion

Big Spat on Rig Preceded Explosion

online.wsj.com

KENNER, La.—More details emerged Wednesday about a disagreement between employees of rig operator Transocean Ltd. and oil giant BP PLC over how to begin shutting down the well just hours before it exploded in the Gulf of Mexico last month.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Douglas H. Brown, Transocean's chief mechanic on the Deepwater Horizon rig, said key representatives from both companies had a "skirmish" during an 11 a.m. meeting on April 20. Less than 11 hours later, the well had a blowout, an uncontrolled release of oil and gas, killing 11 workers.

Mr. Brown said Transocean's crew leaders—including the rig operator's top manager, Jimmy W. Harrell—strongly objected to a decision by BP's top representative, or "company man," over how to start removing heavy drilling fluid and replacing it with lighter seawater from a riser pipe connected to the well head. Such pipes act as conduits between the rig and the wellhead at the ocean floor, and carry drilling fluid in and out of the well.

It's starting to sound like this is as much of a tragedy at the operational level as we had feared.

It wasn't clear what Mr. Harrell objected to specifically about BP's instructions, but the rig's primary driller, Dewey Revette, and tool pusher, Miles Randall Ezell, both of Transocean, also disagreed with BP, Mr. Brown said. However, BP was in charge of the operation and the BP representative prevailed, Mr. Brown said.

"The company man was basically saying, 'This is how it's gonna be,' " said Mr. Brown, who didn't recall the name of the BP representative in question.

"Movie of the Week" material, no?

online.wsj.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

A lot more is sure to come out about the cause of the explosion. Earlier reports stated that the well head failed a negative pressure test and that alone is a risk for a major blowout. There is also a matter of missing drillers logs from just before the incident. Those would show exactly what was done and who ordered it done. Destroyed by BP?

There is now a concerted effort to shine light away from BP and this administration. This administration came out today blaming MMS for not doing their job, which they should be held accountable. But the White House bumbled this by waiting for weeks before even going down there to assess first hand.

Next BP lawyers waiting on the shore made its workers sign documents before they were allowed to see their relatives. Now news is coming out & stating an argument took place.

A lot of spin is going to be coming now that the oil leak has been stopped and BP needs to fight off litigation damages.

Now comes the question...in the end will any of these people be held accountable other then a fine which is nothing to them??
I highly doubt it!!
Obama said today that someone will be held accountable.

He said it in this article here news.bbc.co.uk...

Speaking at the White House, President Obama vowed to hold BP accountable for the "horrific disaster"-----from the article.

I want to see someone go to jail for this.
Now the question is...will they???

[edit on 27-5-2010 by DrumsRfun]

reply to post by DrumsRfun


BP is held accountable, they get a fine, case closed. The CEO and the persons giving orders in the chain of command should be held accountable directly.

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
Now comes the question...in the end will any of these people be held accountable other then a fine which is nothing to them??
I highly doubt it!!
Obama said today that someone will be held accountable.

He said it in this article here news.bbc.co.uk...

Speaking at the White House, President Obama vowed to hold BP accountable for the "horrific disaster"-----from the article.

I want to see someone go to jail for this.
Now the question is...will they???

[edit on 27-5-2010 by DrumsRfun]

That all depends on how you define accountable, and what ends up happening...

For example, if BP pays off anyone who lost money during the time of the spill, given that we have yet to see how it all ends, then perhaps they will have made restitution...

It's still too early to tell... AND They are still the only group capable of fixing this mess... so let's not tie their hands JUST YET!

Ok Cross posting here...


Here is another link which states an Attorney from Houston has affidavits that Harrel had said on the phone ...

"Are you happy? Are you happy? I TOLD YOU this was going to happen!"

www.abovetopsecret.com...