BP accused of withholding spill data

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

The owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig is accusing BP of withholding critical evidence needed to identify the cause of the worst maritime oil spill in history.

In a sternly worded letter obtained by The Associated Press, Transocean says that lack of information is preventing the company from informing state and federal investigators, and the families of those killed on the rig, about what happened.

According to the rig's owner, BP appears to be preventing any other entity from investigating the blowout.

Transocean also reveals that it reluctantly signed a confidentiality agreement at BP's request to obtain some limited data.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38771609/ns/disaster_in_the_gulf/

[metapunditedgy]

1. Captain Obvious is all over this one! (BTW: no justice without exec jail time!) n/t

[Locrian]

2. Ohhh! They're in trouble now...

"a sternly worded letter" - wow. I bet they wet themselves over that one.

[Crowman1979]

3. But....but...but the private sector always knows whats right!

Trusting big business is tantamount to trusting the hand that cracks the whip. Whether it be for real or invisible.

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, cal.

[mike r]

5. BP accused of withholding 'critical' spill data

Source: Associated Press

The company that owned the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico is accusing BP of withholding critical evidence needed to investigate the cause of the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, according to a confidential document obtained by The Associated Press. The new complaint by Transocean follows similar complaints by U.S. lawmakers about difficulties obtaining necessary information from BP in their investigations.

In a sternly worded letter to BP's attorneys, Transocean said the oil giant has in its sole possession information key to identifying the cause "of the tragic loss of eleven lives and the pollution in the Gulf of Mexico." BP's refusal to turn over the documents has hampered Transocean's investigation and hindered what it has been able to tell families of the dead and state and federal investigators about the accident, the letter said. BP and Transocean appear likely to face off in court over how much each should pay out for the tragedy. Transocean owned the Deepwater Horizon, the rig that exploded and sank, killing 11 workers and unleashing millions of gallons of oil. BP was the operator and majority owner of the well...

In the dispute over documents, Transocean said that BP released limited records only after the company agreed to sign a confidentiality agreement at BP's request. "This is troubling, both in light of BP's frequently stated public commitment to openness and a fair investigation, and because it appears that BP is withholding evidence in an attempt to prevent any entity other than BP from investigating the cause of the April 20 incident and the resulting spill," the letter said.

Copies of the letter were also sent to government agencies, commissions and lawmakers investigating the spill's cause. Aides for some of those lawmakers told the AP on Thursday that they, too, have had trouble obtaining information from BP. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee had a "stare down" with BP over some of the data it was seeking, said Bill Wicker, a spokesman for committee chairman Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. BP requested that congressional staffers sign a nondisclosure agreement. The committee refused, telling the company that it would send all BP's information back. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass, chair of the House's energy and environment subcommittee, said his staff has also had difficulty "prying information" out of BP. "I am not surprised Transocean — which may end up in litigation against BP in the future — is encountering similar difficulties," Markey said...


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIXWYBTpLtSayJtg41LKXpxSxVPAD9HMPTJ80

[democrank]

6. Gosh....

What a terrible thing to do to BP who already told us everything is A-OK and the oil just vanished.

[cutlassmama]

7. Gee, what a surprise

:sarcasm:

[austin_democrat]

8. Not BP...I don't believe it. They seem like straight shooters. Barf.

[Poboy]

9. "I am not surprised Transocean — which may end up in litigation against BP in the future — is encoun

"I am not surprised Transocean — which may end up in litigation against BP in the future — is encountering similar difficulties," Markey said...

===

Transocean’s letter lists outstanding requests to BP for 16 categories of information, including details on digital pressure tests on the blowout preventer, a last line of defense against an uncontrolled spill. The device failed to seal BP’s ruptured Macondo well.

“BP has in its sole possession a significant amount of key information about the well,” Roberts said.

“BP has in its sole possession a significant amount of key information about the well, including real-time data collected by BP at its Houston office, documents, logs, cementing and operational reports, and seismic data that are critical to identifying the cause of the tragic loss of eleven lives and the pollution of the Gulf of Mexico,” Roberts said.


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-19/bp-refuses-requests-for-documents-related-to-gulf-spill-transocean-says.html


====

Where are the arrests?

[nashville_brook]

10. k n r -- drill BP for the truth.

[Poboy]

11. BP Refuses Requests for Documents, Transocean Says

Source: Bloomberg

By Jim Snyder - Aug 19, 2010 12:13 PM CT

BP Plc’s “continued refusal to provide documents” is blocking efforts to determine the cause of the spill at the company’s well in the Gulf of Mexico, rig owner Transocean Ltd. said today.
BP hasn’t provided documents requested by Transocean since June 21, Steven Roberts, an attorney for the company, said in a letter dated yesterday to BP and copied to officials in the Obama administration and members of Congress. BP leased the rig that exploded on April 20 from Transocean.

Executives of London-based BP and Vernier, Switzerland- based Transocean have publicly disputed responsibilities for operations on the rig and for steps that may have contributed to its collapse, killing 11 workers and triggering the largest U.S. oil spill.
Without access to the information, “the task of fairly determining the cause and measures to improve the safety of all offshore workers cannot be completed in a manner that instills confidence in any findings,” Roberts said in the letter.

----

“BP has in its sole possession a significant amount of key information about the well, including real-time data collected by BP at its Houston office, documents, logs, cementing and operational reports, and seismic data that are critical to identifying the cause of the tragic loss of eleven lives and the pollution of the Gulf of Mexico,” Roberts said.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-19/bp-refuses-requests-for-documents-related-to-gulf-spill-transocean-says.html

[howaboutme]

12. BP is worried about

1- reducing liability losses to those employees who died on the rig and to residents and small businesses that were harmed by the leak
2- retaining drilling rights in the Gulf and other US lands
3- retaining political clout over some hacks in Congress
4- retaining an image that helps them with the above

Less info can work to their advantage more than more info. BP really needs their ass kicked by litigation and most importantly by the US government with punitive damages and future restrictions. That would do more to correct or prevent future problems with other drillers than anything. Let's hope that the corporate first mentality of government will be replaced with country and responsibility first.

[ladywnch]

13. their are in sole possession and are working diligently to scrub

as much of the data as they can before it disappears all together.

[Poboy]

14. Where are the arrests?

[and-justice-for-all]

15. Why am I not surprised? nt