BP ‘Grossly Negligent’ in the Gulf Oil Spill

On Thursday September 4, 2014 U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Barbier, Louisiana born and bred, found BP to be “grossly negligent” in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, attributing 67% of the blame to the company, 30% to contractor Transocean, and 3% to submarine cement subcontractor Halliburton. BP may be liable for as much as $18 billion in fines under the Clean Water Act. BP had tried to claim its two partners in the drilling venture were equally responsible, so the ruling essentially doubles that. BP says it will appeal.

With this fine on top of other Deepwater fines, costs, and damage expenses, BP’s total bill for the disaster could reach $50 billion.

More:

“BP May Be Fined Up to $18 Billion for Spill in Gulf,” Campbell Robertson and Clifford Kraussept, New York Times

“BP found ‘grossly negligent’ for Gulf spill,” Melvin Backman, CNN Money

“BP, court trade barbs after sharply worded oil spill ruling,” Javier E. David, CNBC

“Gulf of Mexico oil spill could haunt BP for years to come,” Katherine Rushton, Daily Telegraph

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Tags: BP, BP oil spill, Deepwater Horizon, enviroment, environment, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf oil spill, liability, oil, oil spill, pollution