The BP horizon drilling accident is considered the biggest environmental disaster in US history, considered 10 times bigger than Exxon Valdez. Over a period of 86 days (from April to June), about 4.9million barrels of crude was pumped into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The impact of the spill is still being studied. During this period, 57.5 square miles of gulf waters were closed to fishing and other commercial activities. Just top put it in context, the estimated amount of oil spill is enough to fill 311 Olympic size swimming pools.
BP’s initial response has been widely condemned as lacking sincerity and will to stem the flow of the oil into the Gulf region. For example, the company initially told the public that the rig was leaking 1000 barrels of crude oil per day into the Gulf. The figure turned out to be much higher, in the region of 5000 barrels per day. Another misstep from BP was to deflect blame for the mishap to the company who owned the rig and the company that was responsible for cementing the well which was as Transocean and Haliburton. …show more content…
Mr Hayward also said the amount of oil spill and dispersant used was “relatively tiny” compared to the “size of the big ocean”.
The immediate consequence for BP was public outrage, loss public trust and loss of license to operate, not counting the cost of compensation and clean up. Statistics from a public opinion poll conducted by Gallup Polls shows 73% of the public viewing BP’s response to the incident as very poor while in a poll conducted by Washington Post-ABC News, 64% expressed support for criminal prosecution. In America, members of the public boycotted BP gas stations and BP products causing a decline of between 10% to 40% in
BP’s initial response has been widely condemned as lacking sincerity and will to stem the flow of the oil into the Gulf region. For example, the company initially told the public that the rig was leaking 1000 barrels of crude oil per day into the Gulf. The figure turned out to be much higher, in the region of 5000 barrels per day. Another misstep from BP was to deflect blame for the mishap to the company who owned the rig and the company that was responsible for cementing the well which was as Transocean and Haliburton. …show more content…
Mr Hayward also said the amount of oil spill and dispersant used was “relatively tiny” compared to the “size of the big ocean”.
The immediate consequence for BP was public outrage, loss public trust and loss of license to operate, not counting the cost of compensation and clean up. Statistics from a public opinion poll conducted by Gallup Polls shows 73% of the public viewing BP’s response to the incident as very poor while in a poll conducted by Washington Post-ABC News, 64% expressed support for criminal prosecution. In America, members of the public boycotted BP gas stations and BP products causing a decline of between 10% to 40% in