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Not much into conspiracy stuff, 30 years technical experience in oilfield industry, understand why and how the well blew, understand the very bad decisions BP made, but can not understand in any way why BP began circulating the heavy mud out the hole and replacing it with seawater before setting the final plug. They knew they were having trouble and they did the worse thing they could have done. Had they left the heavy mud in the hole none of this would have happened (99.9% sure).
I have heard no logical explanation of why this was done and that gives me concern, a lot of concern.

My step-dad was a drilling mud warehouseman, trucker all of my teen years and into college.

He was also a fair self-taught geologist respected by many credentialed geologists.

I don’t doubt your assertions.

I just do not think that BP has lily white hands, remotely.

Your question about the seawater is a telling and interesting one, imho.

The stock sales are also quite telling, imho.

AT a minimum, I think there’s an exceeding amount of skullduggary—for whatever mix of motives—to go around.

“Had they left the heavy mud in the hole none of this would have happened (99.9% sure). I have heard no logical explanation of why this was done and that gives me concern, a lot of concern.”

I don’t think there was, or will be a “logical” reason. The BP company man said something to the effect of “I’m the boss here, do it. That’s what the pinchers (BOP) are for”. I can completely understand that. Some blowhard company man that thinks he knows more than the driller and crew that had been fighting this beast for months.

A company man under pressure to get the well done. Passing that “kick the dog” and “I’m the boss” attitude to the crew.

What I CAN’T understand is why, once they started replacing the mud with sea water, and started seeing problems they didn’t stop. Instead they interpreted the data (pressure jumps, etc.) in the best possible light so they could continue the risky process. They stopped twice IIRC to monitor the jumps and data, and went on anyway.

Were the original driller and crew gone and replaced by a completion crew or something? I had just a brief experience of being on a rig for a couple of summers. But, at the least the company man could have been locked in his trailer by the crew. Or, slipped on the wet spot and fell into the mud pit.

Although I suppose things are different on an independet land well vs. these ocean rigs. Still.

Not much into conspiracy stuff, 30 years technical experience in oilfield industry, understand why and how the well blew, understand the very bad decisions BP made, but can not understand in any way why BP began circulating the heavy mud out the hole and replacing it with seawater before setting the final plug. They knew they were having trouble and they did the worse thing they could have done. Had they left the heavy mud in the hole none of this would have happened (99.9% sure).
I have heard no logical explanation of why this was done and that gives me concern, a lot of concern.

One reason I heard was that the eco-wackos have been suing and harassing all drillers over heavy mud they call toxic. Could that be a factor?

I read on FR that some guy from the EPA ordered them to remove the mud and use seawater.