Money concerns didn't drive Deepwater Horizon decisions, panel counsel says

Money concerns didn't drive Deepwater Horizon decisions

The conclusion is good news for BP, which has been widely criticized for letting concerns about the roughly $1.5 million a day cost of the drilling rig affect choices that might have prevented the blowout.

"To date, we have not seen a single instance where a human being made a conscious decision to favor dollars over safety," said Fred Bartlit, general counsel for the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling.

He added that he didn't believe that rig workers "want to risk their lives or the lives of their buddies." He said: "I've been on a lot of rigs, and I don't believe people sit there and say, 'This is really dangerous, but the guys in London will make more money.' We don't see a concrete situation where people made a trade-off of safety for dollars."
Bartlit said that BP's much criticized design for the well, known as the long string design, did not directly cause the April 20 accident. And Sambhav Sankar, the deputy chief counsel for the commission, said that the design offered "some value over the long-term life of the well."

But they said BP's well design did pose several other problems that might have indirectly contributed to the explosion.

They said that the design limited choices about how much cement could be used to seal the well and should have made both BP and its cement contractor, Halliburton, very cautious about how they proceeded.

Who the hell WOULD of went out there knowing BP was trying to save money, if they KNEW BP was not making sure that this wouldn't happen, if they knew BP didn't do all they could to make that rig safe..

I don't believe the presidents panel for a minute, BP sure is happy today, I am sure they are having cocktails with the panel patting each other on the back, *not our faults* *we couldn't help the rig exploded*.

It's sick how again NO ONE will take responsibility for their actions.

BP thinks since they had to shell out some cash to people, the people who's lives were ruined was enough?

Someone deserves some jail time for the men who died on that rig, because we all know QUITE well bp was cutting corners on that rig trying to save a little money 11 people died!

BP gets off scott free, people suffer, and no one cares..

He added that he didn't believe that rig workers "want to risk their lives or the lives of their buddies." He said: "I've been on a lot of rigs, and I don't believe people sit there and say, 'This is really dangerous, but the guys in London will make more money.' We don't see a concrete situation where people made a trade-off of safety for dollars."

UG, I hate it when these talking heads are so deliberately shallow minded! OF COURSE the workers did not do it. Not one single oil worker (except maybe a "worm" (newbie)) would comprimise safety intentionally. However, when you are given a mandate to follow a certain procedure under penalty of losing your job, what choice do you have? Especially if the supplies needed to do the job the right way are suppressed.

It's bp covering their tracks, I bet the counsel gets free gas for a year and a hooker.

'BP gets off scott free, people suffer, and no one cares..'

absolutely right...well said
.