Monday, September 19, 2011

Deepwater Horizon Final Report


Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE)/U.S. Coast Guard Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has released its final investigative report on the April 20, 2010, Deepwater Horizon explosion.
     Volume I, released April 22, 2011, includes findings on five aspects of the disaster under Coast Guard jurisdiction: explosions on the offshore platform; the resulting fire; evacuations; the flooding and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon; and the safety systems of the unit and its owner, Transocean.
     Volume II includes findings on the causes of the blowout and the resulting explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon. Based on evidence gathered, JIT concludes that BP, Transocean and Halliburton violated several federal offshore safety regulations under BOEMRE’s jurisdiction. This volume also includes recommendations for the continued improvement of the safety of offshore operations. 
     After the explosion, BOEMRE reformed offshore oil and gas regulation and oversight to strengthen requirements for well design and workplace safety to corporate accountability.