Markey: Circular Finger-Pointing by Oil Companies Highlights Need for Better Safety Standards

Statement

Transocean, the company that owned the drilling rig involved in the BP oil spill, today issued a report that continues the pattern of the companies involved in the spill passing blame in advance of expected protracted litigation. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the principal force in Congress pushing for oversight of the spill and the response, issued the following statement in response. Rep. Markey is the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over offshore drilling.

"This is the newest salvo in the continuing circular finger-pointing contest among BP, Transocean, Halliburton and others involved in the Gulf oil spill.

"As the independent BP spill commission report found, the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster was "the production of several individual missteps and oversights by BP, Halliburton and Transocean, which government regulators lacked the authority, the necessary resources, and the technical expertise to prevent.'

"Today's Transocean report says little to shed new light on the details of the disaster, but the problems identified by the spill commission continue to cry out for Congressional action to pass comprehensive safety standards for deepwater offshore drilling. Sadly, Republican leaders in Washington refuse to bring offshore drilling safety legislation to a vote in the House, or even hold legislative hearings on the matter.

"The oil industry should share responsibility for keeping their workers and American waters safe, instead of relying on their lawyers to stake out the best position for their company following a disaster."

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