*ping*
Just getting back in here...got to go see what they are saying on the Oil Drum.
What Were the Causes That Led to the Deepwater Horizon Blowout and Explosion? - and Open Thread 2
There is this:
****************************************EXCERPT***********************************
TheOilDumb on June 19, 2010 - 10:18pm
**********************Snip***************************
"Two BP management officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss internal matters, said budget cuts were largely the reason equipment was not upgraded or repaired, and indicated that much of it has yet to be addressed. BP's Alaska budget for 2010 is $1 billion, compared with $1.1 billion in 2009 and $1.3 billion in 2008.
Moreover, according to two BP Alaska officials, projects related to "safety and integrity" have been cut by 30 percent this year and BP’s senior managers receive bonuses for not using funds from BP’s designated maintenance budget, a company wide policy implemented by Hayward. Documents show that Hayward also implemented a cost-cutting directive following the oil spills in 2006 in Prudhoe Bay.
http://www.truth-out.org/documents-employees-reveal-bps-alaska-oilfield-...
You betch'ya!