Submitted by: Submitted by Skeaeac6
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Date Submitted: 11/28/2010 11:45 AM
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BP and the Gulf Of Mexico Oil Spill
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Jennifer Younggren, Shaelyn Klaus, Graham Ouwerkerk, Aaron Rowbottom, Karla Colenutt, and Suzanne Montague
10/20/2010
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Table of Contents
Introduction 1
BP’s Action 1
BP’s Motives and Beliefs 3
Stakeholders 4
Employees 5
Shareholders 5
Gulf Fisherman and Residents 5
Countries 6
Australia 6
Norway 7
Canada 8
Sweden 9
Conclusion 9
Bibliography 11
Introduction
BP is an oil company that was doing deep sea exploratory drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. As they were sealing up the well and preparing to shut down operations, gas leaked into the pipeline. This caused a gusher of mud and gas which ignited in a massive explosion and fire. 11 of the workers on the platform lost their lives and several more were injured. The well was uncapped and gushing oil for weeks. Millions of gallons of oil were spilled into the water. In this paper we will analyze what it was that BP did or didn’t do that caused the oil spill, the stakeholders affected and how different countries would have responded in a similar situation.
BP’s Action
"The public's faith has been tested recently," Robert Malone, BP's chief executive of American operations, said. "We have fallen short of the high standards we hold for ourselves and the expectations that others have for us." [ (Lustgarten A. , 2010) ]
In February of 2009, British Petroleum filed a 52 page exploration and environmental impact plan for the Macondo Well Prospect in the Gulf of Mexico. The plan stated that it was “unlikely that an accidental surface or subsurface oil spill would occur from the proposed activities.” [ (Burseau & Mohr, 2010) ]They maintained that should an accident take place, the well was roughly 50 miles from shore, and no significant adverse impacts would be expected due to their response capabilities. The US Department of the Interior determined this assumption to be sound and exempted BP from having to file a detailed...