BP’s infamous oil spill last year in the Gulf of Mexico might have been prevented had the company not offered incentives to workers to cut costs rather than improve safety. A 16-months-in-the-making government report concluded that there were five instances in which BP either cut costs, decreased drilling time or increased risks.

The Washington Post analyzes the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement report, which also exposes rampant communication failures between rig workers and engineers in Houston.

The 87-day spill hemorrhaged 5 million barrels of oil, and the blowout that caused the disaster killed 11 workers. Among problems detailed in the report were a poor well design, an inadequate cement job and mix-ups in the chains of command.

BP responded:

BP agrees with the report’s core conclusion consistent with every other official investigation that the Deepwater Horizon accident was the result of multiple causes, involving multiple parties, including Transocean and Halliburton.

From the outset, BP acknowledged its role in the accident and has taken concrete steps to further enhance safety and risk management throughout its global operations, including the implementation of new voluntary standards and practices in the Gulf of Mexico that exceed current regulatory requirements and strengthen the oversight of contractors.

We continue to encourage other parties to acknowledge their roles in the accident and make changes to help prevent similar accidents in the future.

BP’s cost cuts contributed to oil spill disaster, federal probe finds [The Washington Post]

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