BP didn't put profits before safety
Author : Amy Hollamby
09 November 2010
Despite recent accusations, the White House oil spill commission investigating the BP oil spill may help improve BP’s tarnished reputation after having stated that it found no evidence that the companies involved put profit over safety when operating the rig in the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year.
BP did not put profits before safety
However, it is important to note that these initial findings only prove that BP did not cut corners in the interests of profiteering, the report did not focus on the company’s safety culture and hence does not prove that the well was safe. Rather than blaming the oil spill on BP putting profits before safety the commission believed the incident was caused by a series of on-site misjudgements and complacency.
The report will raise hopes for BP that they won't be landed with a further multi-billion dollar bill for 'punitive damages' over the April 20th catastrophe, which killed 11 workers and caused the biggest ecological disaster in US history. The company has already set aside £12.3 billion to pay for clean-up costs in the Gulf of Mexico and to compensate thousands of local workers whose livelihoods were ruined by the oil spill.
The commission will deliver its final report on January 11th 2011.