"BP: Multiple Companies, Teams Contributed To Spill"

"Oil giant BP PLC said in an internal report released Wednesday before
a key piece of evidence has been analyzed that multiple companies and
work teams contributed to the massive Gulf of Mexico spill that fouled
waters and shorelines for months.

In its 193-page report posted on its website Wednesday, the British
company describes the incident as an accident that arose from a
complex and interlinked series of mechanical failures, human
judgments, engineering design, operational implementation and team
interfaces.

BP spread the blame around, and even was critical of its own workers'
conduct, but it defended the design of its well and it was careful in
its assessments. It already faces hundreds of lawsuits and billions of
dollars of liabilities. In public hearings, it had already tried to
shift some of the blame to rig owner Transocean Ltd. and cement
contractor Halliburton. BP was leasing the rig from Transocean and
owned the well that blew out.

The report was generated by a BP team led by Mark Bly, BP's head of
safety and operations."

Harry R. Weber, Michael Kunzelman, and Dina Cappiello report for the
Associated Press September 8, 2010.

Full Text of BP Report