Meet The 2009 Obama Safety History Award Winning Deepwater Horizon ….Boom!!!!
the Deepwater Horizon’s record was exemplary, according to MMS officials, who said the rig was never on inspectors’ informal “watch list” for problem rigs. In fact, last year MMS awarded the rig an award for its safety history.
A summary of the inspection history that the MMS officials provided AP said the Deepwater Horizon received six “incidents of noncompliance” — the agency’s term for citations.
The most serious occurred July 16, 2002, when the rig was shut down because required pressure tests had not been conducted on parts of the rig’s blowout preventer — the device that was supposed to stop oil from gushing out if drilling operations experienced problems.
That citation was “major,” said Arnold, who characterized the overall safety record related by MMS as strong.
A citation on Sept. 19, 2002, also involved the blowout preventer. The inspector issued a warning because “problems or irregularities observed during the testing of BOP system and actions taken to remedy such problems or irregularities are not recorded in the driller’s report or referenced documents.”
During his Senate testimony last week, Transocean CEO Steven Newman said the blowout preventer was modified in 2005.
According to MMS officials, the four other citations were:
• Two on May 16, 2002, for not conducting well control drills as required and not performing “all operations in a safe and workmanlike manner.”
• One on Aug. 6, 2003, for discharging pollutants into the Gulf.
• One on March 20, 2007, which prompted inspectors to shut down some machinery because of improper electrical grounding.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100516/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill_inspections
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