Article
BP, firms made risky decisions before spill-report
BP and its partners made a series of cost-cutting decisions that ultimately contributed to the oil spill that ravaged the Gulf of Mexico coast over the summer, the White House oil spill commission said...Created by President Barack Obama in the midst of the BP spill, the panel is the first government-sanctioned group to wrap up its probe of the causes of the drilling disaster...Although the commission lacks authority to establish policy or punish companies, its conclusions could have a bearing on future criminal and civil cases relating to the spill...The commission also concluded the Gulf spill was not an isolated incident caused by "rogue industry or government officials"...BP said in a statement that it supports the commission's efforts to determine the causes of the accident...Halliburton disputed the commission's accusations about its cement testing...The commission "selectively omitted information we provided to them," Halliburton said...Transocean said the company's workers were "well trained" and considered among the best in the business. The company also said that consistent with industry standards, the final procedures on the rig were directed by BP engineers.