Transocean and Halliburton: Blame the BP Drilling Plan!

Apparently, there is nobody to blame for the Deepwater Horizon oilrig explosion or the 5,000 barrels worth of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico.

As a result, the original drilling plans from BP are taking heat. It should be noted that most of the heat is coming from the mouths of other major players and possible catalysts involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Transocean and Halliburton, specifically.

BP

The oil giant BP, who was leasing the Deepwater Horizon at the time of the explosion, is citing the failure of the blowout preventer as the main cause of the oil spill. They were relying on the blowout preventer as their last line of defense against a major catastrophe such as this one, according to a BBC News article. BP has also made it clear that Transocean, the owner of the oilrig, is also the owner of the faulty blowout preventer that is behind this disaster.

Transocean

The owner of the Deepwater Horizon oilrig, Transocean, is focusing on the drilling plan created by BP as a way to deflect responsibility. They claim that BP was in charge when the drilling was finished and preparations were being made to cap the well. Transocean officials say there is no proof that the blowout preventer was not working properly. The company also pointed out that Halliburton was working on the well pipe, according to BP’s plans, to encase it in cement before capping it. Transocean seems the most willing to deflect negative attention to others.

Halliburton

Again, a company is pointing to BP’s drilling plan as the cause for mistakes made on the Deepwater Horizon that led to an explosion and ensuing oil spill. Halliburton, another oil industry giant, claims that they finished the work on the oilrig successfully and, of course, according to BP’s drilling plan. The company also claims that pressure tests were conducted to ensure optimum levels.

The Blame Bullet

These companies are implemented to create an independent source of energy for our country and should be held responsible for their actions whether they were planned by themselves or not. If BP made errors in their drilling plan, it should have been discovered by one of many different officials reviewing it. This should include both Transocean and Halliburton officials.

This situation reminds me of that classic scene in which three characters are stuck in a room with metal walls and a gun goes off. There is a bullet flying around the room, it’s not going to stop, and it will eventually kill, or at least seriously injur, one of them. Even though the three people have been working together, it’s time for them to fend for themselves and deflect the bullet however possible. The only difference between that situation and the Gulf oil spill situation is that each company is attempting to deflect the bullet at the others. To make it worse, the oil spill will not slow down over time.

Let’s not forget about the Minerals Management Service. President Obama announced that efforts would be made to break up the MMS to focus on two separate goals. One group would focus primarily on the safety standards of oilrigs, leaving the other group to independently focus on the production. This move is a result of the Gulf oil spill, but also of the fact that the MMS was involved in bribery, drug use, and sex with oil industry officials. The Minerals Management Service is currently involved in a hearing with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Further investigations will probably lead to a more conclusive discovery regarding who was most responsible for the oil spill. Until then, it seems futile for these companies to blame one another without proper research and information.

One final note: Of the 126 people on the Deepwater Horizon oilrig at the time of the explosion, only 7 were employees of BP.