Blame Game Continues Over BP’s Oil Spill

Halliburton defends itself and lays blame on BP’s well design for the recent oil rig disaster. The Houston-based company contends that the explosion onboard the Deepwater Horizon that occurred on April 20, 2010, killing 11 maritime workers and sending millions of gallons of crude oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico, was the result of BP’s faulty well design.

BP has alleged that the cement job performed by Halliburton may have led to the blow-out. However, Thomas Roth, vice president of cementing for Halliburton, defended his company’s cement job at a National Academics hearing in Washington and placed the blame on BP.

Roth also cited that BP workers ignored “multiple red flags” indicating the well wasn’t properly sealed and that hydrocarbons could have escaped, leading to the maritime accident.

However, BP officials indicated at the hearing that Halliburton's faulty cement recipe let gas and oil escape to the surface, which may have led to the explosion.

BP still maintains that the company’s well design wasn’t an issue. “We think it was a robust design,” said Kent Corser, drilling engineering manager for BP North America Gas.

The investigative panel is expected to issue an interim report in the next month.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a maritime accident, you should contact one of our experienced maritime attorneys at the Law Offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C. at (713) 224-7800 or (877) 724-7800.

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