Oil Firms Blame Each Other for Spill

3 to point fingers in Senate testimony today
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted May 11, 2010 6:26 AM CDT
Oil Firms Blame Each Other for Spill
This aerial photo shows oil in the Gulf of Mexico as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig burns.    (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Execs from three firms involved in the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill will blame each other for the disaster when they face a Senate hearing today. In prepared testimony reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the chairman of well owner BP points the finger at rig owner and operator TransOcean, saying its blowout preventer failed. TransOcean's testimony suggests Halliburton, a contractor on the rig, is at fault, while Halliburton argues that BP is ultimately responsible.

Suggesting that the blowout preventers—a giant set of valves designed to stop the uncontrolled flow of oil or gas—failed "simply makes no sense," according to TransOcean's CEO. The well, he will testify, had already been sealed with cement by Halliburton. The contractor, however, says the final cement plug to seal off the well was never set because of decisions made by BP.
(More British Petroleum stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X