Energy Tomorrow Blog

Commission Identifies Deepwater Horizon Missteps

blowout preventer  deepwater horizon  department of energy  domestic energy  energy information administration  energy policy  gulf of mexico  gulf oil spill  macondo well  oil leak  oil production  oil spill  boemr  oil rig 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted January 6, 2011

The presidential commission examining the Deepwater Horizon accident has determined that several missteps contributed last April's blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, including poor decision-making by the companies' management and government regulators. According to an excerpt from its report, the commission found the tragedy "was not the product of a series of abberational decisions made by a rogue industry...the root causes are systemic" and should be corrected. 

More »

Oil Spill Probe: Dollars Did Not Trump Safety

blowout preventer  bop  bp  congress  deepwater horizon  gulf of mexico  halliburton  interior department  macondo well  oil leak  oil spill 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted November 9, 2010

The lead investigator for the presidential panel examining the Deepwater Horizon accident yesterday said he has found no evidence that anyone involved in the Macondo well took shortcuts to save money. 

More »

BP Releases Deepwater Horizon Report

blowout preventer  bp  deepwater horizon  domestic energy  gulf of mexico  gulf oil spill  oil spill  spill response  offshore drilling rig 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted September 8, 2010

BP today released the results of its own investigation into the Deepwater Horizon accident. It determined that a series of mechanical failures, the misinterpretation of data, and other factors attributable to all of the companies working on the rig led to the explosions, fire and the deaths of 11 offshore workers.

More »

Cap Removal Delayed

blowout preventer  bop  bp  containment cap  deepwater horizon  domestic energy  macondo well  moratorium  offshore moratorium  drilling fluids  spiil response 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted August 30, 2010

High seas have forced BP to postpone efforts to remove the containment cap on the Macondo well. The company says engineers are standing by, waiting to remove the cap and the battered blowout preventer (BOP) before replacing the BOP with one from the Deepwater Driller II. No oil is expected to be spilled during the operation. 

More »

Oil Stops Flowing in the Gulf

blowout preventer  bp  containment cap  deepwater drilling  deepwater horizon  domestic energy  gulf oil spill  macondo well  oil spill cleanup  spill response  oil stops flowing 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted July 15, 2010

For the first time in more than two months, the Macondo well is not leaking oil and gas into the Gulf.

More »

Oil Collection to Increase

blowout preventer  bp  deepwater horizon  gulf of mexico  oil leak  oil spill  oil spill cleanup  spill response  drilling 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 28, 2010

The first tropical storm of the season has veered away from the Gulf oil spill, allowing engineers to continue siphoning oil and gas from the leaking Macondo well.

More »

Blowout Preventer Cap Removed

blowout preventer  bp  deepwater horizon  domestic energy  gulf of mexico  gulf oil spill  oil spill cleanup  spill response  rovs 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 23, 2010

Safety concerns have prompted engineers to remove the cap from the leaking well's blowout preventer (BOP) in the Gulf. 

More »

Containment Cap on the Well

blowout preventer  bp  cap for oil leak  containment cap  deepwater horizon  domestic energy  gulf of mexico  gulf oil spill  oil spill  oil spill cleanup  spill response 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 4, 2010

BP and a team of engineers have lowered the containment cap on the blowout preventer. 

More »

Avoid Unintended Consequences

blowout preventer  deepwater drilling  deepwater horizon  energy policy  gulf of mexico  gulf oil spill  Jack Gerard  offshore drilling  oil spill  oil spill cleanup 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 3, 2010

Yesterday in a post on the National Journal's Energy and Environment Blog, API President and CEO Jack Gerard said policymakers should avoid enacting new policies and regulations that could have a negative impact on the nation's energy security and economic future.

More »

The Human Cost of Drilling Moratoria

access  blowout preventer  bp  deepwater drilling  domestic energy  drilling ban  gulf of mexico  gulf oil spill  obama  offshore drilling  oil spill  oil spill cleanup  oil spill response 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 1, 2010

While BP prepares to cut the damaged riser from the blowout preventer (BOP) as the first step in using the low marine riser package (LMRP) at the Macondo well, analysts and bloggers are assessing the costs associated with the administration's deepwater drilling hiatus in the Gulf.

More »