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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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Macondo Well
Deepwater Horizon
Blowout

LESSONS FOR IMPROVING
OFFSHORE DRILLING SAFETY

Committee on the Analysis of Causes of the
Deepwater Horizon Explosion, Fire, and Oil Spill to
Identify Measures to Prevent Similar Accidents in the Future

Marine Board

Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING AND       
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
                         OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competencies and with regard for appropriate balance.

This project was supported by Contract No. N10PC18384 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Charles M. Vest is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. Charles M. Vest are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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COMMITTEE ON THE ANALYSIS OF CAUSES OF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON EXPLOSION, FIRE, AND OIL SPILL TO IDENTIFY MEASURES TO PREVENT SIMILAR ACCIDENTS IN THE FUTURE

Members

DONALD C. WINTER (Chair), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

PAUL M. BOMMER, University of Texas at Austin

CHRYSSOSTOMOS CHRYSSOSTOMIDIS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

DAVID E. DANIEL, University of Texas at Dallas

THOMAS J. ECCLES, United States Navy, Washington, D.C.

EDMUND P. GIAMBASTIANI, JR., United States Navy (retired), Warwick, Maryland

DAVID A. HOFMANN, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

ROGER L. MCCARTHY, McCarthy Engineering, Palo Alto, California

NAJMEDIN MESHKATI, University of Southern California, Los Angeles

KEITH K. MILLHEIM, Strategic Worldwide, LLC, The Woodlands, Texas (Resigned November 28, 2011, prior to completion of the committee’s report)

M. ELISABETH PATÉ-CORNELL, Stanford University, Stanford, California

ROBERT F. SAWYER, University of California at Berkeley

JOCELYN E. SCOTT, DuPont Engineering, Facilities and Real Estate, Wilmington, Delaware

ARNOLD F. STANCELL, Georgia Institute of Technology, Greenwich, Connecticut

MARK D. ZOBACK, Stanford University, Stanford, California

Staff

RAYMOND A. WASSEL, Project Director

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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MARINE BOARD

MICHAEL S. BRUNO (Chair), Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey

THOMAS M. LESCHINE (Vice Chair), University of Washington, Seattle

STEVEN R. BARNUM, Hydrographic Consultation Services, Suffolk, Virginia

JERRY A. BRIDGES, Virginia Port Authority, Norfolk

MARY R. BROOKS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

JAMES C. CARD, Maritime Consultant, The Woodlands, Texas

STEPHEN M. CARMEL, Maersk Line Limited, Norfolk, Virginia

EDWARD N. COMSTOCK, Raytheon Company, Sudbury, Massachusetts

STEPHAN TONI GRILLI, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett

DOUGLAS J. GRUBBS, Crescent River Port Pilots Association, Metairie, Louisiana

FREDERICK J. HARRIS, General Dynamics, San Diego, California

JUDITH HILL HARRIS, City of Portland, Maine

JOHN R. HEADLAND, Moffatt & Nichol Engineers, New York, New York

JOHN M. HOLMES, Port of Los Angeles, San Pedro, California

DONALD LIU, Marine Consultant, Willis, Texas

RICHARD S. MERCIER, Texas A&M University, College Station

EDMOND J. MORAN, JR., Moran Towing Corporation, New Canaan, Connecticut

ALI MOSLEH, University of Maryland, College Park

GEORGE BERRYMAN NEWTON, QinetiQ North America, Marstons Mills, Massachusetts

PETER K. VELEZ, Shell International Exploration and Production, Inc., Houston, Texas

JOHN WILLIAM WAGGONER, HMS Global Maritime, New Albany, Indiana

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD 2011 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS

NEIL J. PEDERSEN (Chair), Administrator, Maryland State Highway Administration (retired), Baltimore

SANDRA ROSENBLOOM (Vice Chair), Professor of Planning, University of Arizona, Tucson

C. MICHAEL WALTON (Division Chair for NRC Oversight), Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering, University of Texas, Austin

ROBERT E. SKINNER, JR. (Executive Director), Transportation Research Board

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY

Members

ROGENE F. HENDERSON (Chair), Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico

PRAVEEN AMAR, Clean Air Task Force, Boston, Massachusetts

TINA BAHADORI, American Chemistry Council, Washington, D.C.

MICHAEL J. BRADLEY, M.J. Bradley & Associates, Concord, Massachusetts

JONATHAN Z. CANNON, University of Virginia, Charlottesville

GAIL CHARNLEY, HealthRisk Strategies, Washington, D.C.

FRANK W. DAVIS, University of California, Santa Barbara

RICHARD A. DENISON, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, D.C.

CHARLES T. DRISCOLL, JR., Syracuse University, New York

H. CHRISTOPHER FREY, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

RICHARD M. GOLD, Holland & Knight, LLP, Washington, D.C.

LYNN R. GOLDMAN, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

LINDA E. GREER, Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, D.C.

WILLIAM E. HALPERIN, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark

PHILIP K. HOPKE, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York

HOWARD HU, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

SAMUEL KACEW, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

ROGER E. KASPERSON, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts

THOMAS E. MCKONE, University of California, Berkeley

TERRY L. MEDLEY, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Delaware

JANA MILFORD, University of Colorado at Boulder

FRANK O’DONNELL, Clean Air Watch, Washington, D.C.

RICHARD L. POIROT, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, Waterbury

KATHRYN G. SESSIONS, Health and Environmental Funders Network, Bethesda, Maryland

JOYCE S. TSUJI, Exponent Environmental Group, Bellevue, Washington

Senior Staff

JAMES J. REISA, Director

DAVID J. POLICANSKY, Scholar

RAYMOND A. WASSEL, Senior Program Officer for Environmental Studies

ELLEN K. MANTUS, Senior Program Officer for Risk Analysis

SUSAN N.J. MARTEL, Senior Program Officer for Toxicology

EILEEN N. ABT, Senior Program Officer

RUTH E. CROSSGROVE, Senior Editor

MIRSADA KARALIC-LONCAREVIC, Manager, Technical Information Center

RADIAH ROSE, Manager, Editorial Projects

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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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DEDICATION

We dedicate this report to the memory of the eleven people who lost their lives on board the Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010.

Jason Christopher Anderson

Aaron Dale Burkeen

Donald Neal Clark

Stephen Ray Curtis

Gordon Lewis Jones

Roy Wyatt Kemp

Karl Dale Kleppinger, Jr.

Keith Blair Manuel

Dewey Allen Revette

Shane Michael Roshto

Adam Taylor Weise

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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Preface

The blowout of the Macondo well on April 20, 2010, led to enormous consequences for the individuals involved in the drilling operations and for their families. Eleven workers on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig lost their lives, and 16 others were seriously injured. There were also enormous consequences for the companies involved in the drilling operations, to the Gulf of Mexico environment, and to the economy of the region and beyond. The flow continued for nearly 3 months before the well could be completely killed, during which time nearly 5 million barrels of oil spilled into the gulf. The economic consequences of the event were felt almost immediately and became more widespread over time. A moratorium on drilling activities was put in place throughout the gulf, and commercial fishing was halted in much of the region. The total economic impact is in the tens of billions of dollars. The long-term ecological impact will likely take many years to measure. This was truly a “spill of national significance,”1 and international efforts to learn from this disaster have been spurred.

Shortly after the event, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Research Council (NRC) were asked by the Secretary of the Interior to form a committee to examine the probable causes of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, fire, and oil spill and to identify means for preventing similar harm in the future. The committee benefited from a focused and well-defined scope, which excluded several issues such as the extensive response and remediation efforts (see Appendix A). Nonetheless, NAE and NRC wanted to ensure that the committee had not only the requisite expertise appropriate to a deepwater drilling accident but also the breadth needed to ensure that the root causes of the incident and appropriate corrective actions could be identified. Consequently, a committee of 15 members was assembled, which provided expertise in geophysics, petroleum engineering, marine systems, accident investigations, safety systems, risk analysis, human factors, and organizational behavior (see the biographical information at the end of this document).

____________________

1Designation made by the Secretary of Homeland Security on April 29, 2010.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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The committee was able to take advantage of other investigations occurring at the same time, such as the Marine Board of Investigation (MBI), convened by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE—formerly the Minerals Management Service). Members of the committee observed the MBI hearings and reviewed documentation submitted to the board. Similarly, committee members observed hearings of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling and the U.S. Chemical Safety Board. The committee conducted its own public meetings to hear presentations from regulators (USCG, BOEMRE, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands—the flag state), the American Petroleum Institute, the American Bureau of Shipping, and industry (see Appendix B).

The information provided to the committee by industry was constrained by the legal environment generated by the MBI, the investigation of the Department of Justice, and the prospect of multiple matters of civil litigation involving tens of billions of dollars. However, some of the companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon incident participated in the committee’s public meetings and submitted material in writing, including several corporate investigative reports. BP, Halliburton, and Transocean provided information to the committee. Cameron, manufacturer of the Deepwater Horizon’s blowout preventer (BOP), provided some material but declined to make a presentation on the Deepwater Horizon BOP.

The committee also benefited from good support by USCG, which facilitated access to recovered items from Deepwater Horizon (lifeboats, riser, drill pipe, and BOP). The BOP assessment was greatly aided by the forensic work performed by Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and reported by DNV (2011a, 2011b). However, the committee was unable to obtain results of Phase 2 testing of the Deepwater Horizon BOP led by BP. The results are maintained under protective orders by the courts supervising related litigation matters.

The committee received support from a number of industrial organizations that were not directly involved in the Macondo well–Deepwater Horizon incident, which improved its understanding of the various standards and practices of the industry. Of note, Shell provided access both to its Real-Time Operations Center in Houston, Texas, and to the Deepwater Nautilus, the sister ship to Deepwater Horizon. Hydril similarly provided access to its BOP design, production, and test facilities. The committee also visited Wild Well Control School in Houston to improve its understanding of the training provided to drilling personnel. In addition to the industry inputs provided through corporate channels, the committee was able to obtain inputs from industry personnel reflected in written summaries provided by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the International Association of Drilling Contractors. The summaries were prepared with the prior understanding that none of the input would be attributed to specific individuals. To obtain a better understanding of alternative regulatory approaches, committee members visited the Petroleum Safety Authority of Nor-

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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way, SINTEF (Stiftelsen for Industriell og Teknisk Forskning), the Norwegian Oil Industry Association, and the U.K. Health and Safety Executive.

The scope and depth of the information available to the committee enabled it to develop findings and informed observations concerning the probable causes (both direct and root causes) of the incident. The information also enabled the committee to develop a series of recommendations that it believes will reduce the likelihood and impact of any future well control incidents. This final report documents the major findings, observations, and recommendations developed by the committee during its study.2 The report does not attempt to assign responsibility for the incident to specific individuals or corporations, nor does it attempt to make a systematic assessment of the extent to which the parties involved complied with applicable regulations. Such matters were deemed to be appropriately addressed by the MBI.

The committee notes that several of its recommendations reinforce steps already taken to strengthen regulatory practices in the aftermath of this incident. These are steps in the right direction, which need to be built on in a timely manner to ensure that the risks associated with this critical industry are minimized and that the public trust in both industry operations and regulatory processes is restored. Many challenges beyond those addressed in this report must be faced to revitalize the regulatory process. In particular, the administration and Congress will need to provide the funding and flexibility in hiring practices that will allow the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)3 to enhance its capability and capacity.

There have been positive indications regarding industry’s recognition of the need for change, as well. Notable have been the formation and funding of additional response capabilities, such as the Marine Well Containment Company. That said, the companies involved in the Macondo well-Deepwater Horizon incident have the added challenge of ensuring that positions taken to defend against civil liabilities and potential criminal charges do not inhibit their timely recognition of the need to change their internal processes and the manner in which the many parties to this industry (operating companies, drilling contractors, and service companies) all work together.

The need to maintain domestic sources of oil is great, but so is the need to protect the lives of those who work in this industry and to protect the Gulf of Mexico and the many other industries that depend on it. The oil and gas industry

____________________

2The committee issued an interim letter report on November 16, 2010, which presented preliminary findings and observations concerning key factors and decisions that may have contributed to the blowout of the Macondo well. The committee also provided a letter to BOEMRE on September 17, 2010, which identified potential approaches for use in conducting forensic analyses of the Deepwater Horizon BOP.

3On October 1, 2011, BOEMRE split into two entities. BSEE is currently the federal entity responsible for safety and environmental oversight of offshore oil and gas operations internal processes and the manner in which the many parties to this industry (operating companies, drilling contractors, and service companies) work together.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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is robust and capable of improving offshore drilling safety; it employs many experienced personnel and utilizes many impressive technologies. Similarly, there are many dedicated and capable individuals in the various regulatory agencies responsible for overseeing the industry who can make further safety improvements. There is no reason why the diligent application of these multifold capabilities toward strengthening system safety should not significantly reduce the likelihood and consequences of any future loss of well control in the Gulf of Mexico.

Donald C. Winter, Chair
Committee on the Analysis of Causes of the Deepwater
Horizon Explosion, Fire, and Oil Spill to Identify
Measures to Prevent Similar Accidents in the Future

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Acknowledgments

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with procedures approved by NRC’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that assist the authors and NRC in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Benton F. Baugh, Radoil Inc., Houston, Texas; Robert Bea, University of California, Berkeley (emeritus); Michael J. Burke, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana; Vice Admiral James C. Card (USCG, retired), The Woodlands, Texas; Elmer Danenberger III, independent consultant, Reston, Virginia; Chan Gill, independent consultant, Avondale, Arizona; Richard Hartley, B&W Pantex, Amarillo, Texas; Trevor O. Jones, ElectroSonics Medical Inc., Cleveland, Ohio; Rear Admiral Malcolm MacKinnon III (U.S. Navy, retired), MSCL LLC, Alexandria, Virginia; Erik B. Nelson, independent consultant, Houston, Texas; Robin Pitblado, Det Norske Veritas (U.S.A.), Inc., Katy, Texas; Christopher Ranger, Ranger Consultants, Ltd., Ayrshire, Scotland; Frank J. Schuh, Drilling Technology, Inc., Plano, Texas; Richard Sears, Leading Energy Now, Houston, Texas; and A. Dan Tarlock, Chicago Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois.

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the committee’s conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Robert A. Frosch, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and by C. Michael Walton, University of Texas, Austin. Appointed by NRC, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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The work of the committee was assisted by three consultants. Michael Griffes, Alexandria, Virginia, and Peter Johnson, Washington, D.C., facilitated information-gathering activities. Stephen Kemp, Marine & Process Controls LLC, Whitmore Lake, Michigan, provided analysis of the Deepwater Horizon control and alarm systems.

This project was overseen by the Marine Board, a component of the NRC’s Transportation Research Board (TRB), with support from the Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology of the NRC’s Division on Earth and Life Studies.

Raymond Wassel managed the study under the guidance of the committee and the supervision of Stephen Godwin, Director, Studies and Special Programs, TRB. Beverly Huey and Mirsada Karalic-Loncarevic provided scientific and technical information. Norman Solomon edited the report; Jennifer Weeks prepared the prepublication manuscript, under the supervision of Javy Awan, Director of Publications, TRB. Radiah Rose assisted in preparing the prepublication manuscript and the final published version. Mark Hutchins and Orin Luke arranged meetings and provided logistical communications to the committee. In addition, Keri Schaffer helped with gathering and compiling background information.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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Abbreviations

ABS American Bureau of Shipping
ALARP as low as reasonably practicable
AMF automatic mode function
AoC acknowledgment of compliance
API American Petroleum Institute
ASRS Aviation Safety Reporting System
BOEMRE Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement
BOP blowout preventer
BSR blind shear ram
BSEE Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
CAIB Columbia Accident Investigation Board
CCPS Center for Chemical Process Safety
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CGD combustible gas detector
CSB U.S. Chemical Safety Board
CSR casing shear ram
DHSG Deepwater Horizon Study Group
DNV Det Norske Veritas
DoD U.S. Department of Defense
DOI U.S. Department of the Interior
ECD equivalent circulating density
EDS emergency disconnect system
EIA U.S. Energy Information Administration
EMW equivalent mud window
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPRI Electric Power Research Institute
E&P exploration and production
ESD emergency shutdown
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation
FS flag state
GAO U.S. General Accounting Office
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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HSE Health and Safety Executive of the United Kingdom
IACS integrated alarm and control system
IADC International Association of Drilling Contractors
IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency
IBOP internal blowout preventer
LCM lost circulation material
LMRP lower marine riser package
MBI Marine Board of Investigation
MGS mud–gas separator
MMS Minerals Management Service
MODU mobile offshore drilling unit
MUX multiplexer
MWCC Marine Well Containment Company
NAE National Academy of Engineering
NEI Nuclear Energy Institute
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPC National Petroleum Council
NRC National Research Council
NTSB National Transportation Safety Board
OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
OIM offshore installation manager
OLF Norwegian Oil Industry Association
ppg pounds per gallon
Presidential Commission National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling
PSA Petroleum Safety Authority of Norway
ROV remotely operated vehicle
SEMS Safety and Environmental Management Systems
SINTEF Stiftelsen for Industriell og Teknisk Forskning
SPE Society of Petroleum Engineers
SUBSAFE U.S. Navy's Submarine Safety Program
TSA Transportation Security Administration
USCG U. S. Coast Guard
U.S. NRC U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
VBR variable bore ram
WCID well construction interface document
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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Page xviii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 2012. Macondo Well Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Lessons for Improving Offshore Drilling Safety. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/13273.
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The blowout of the Macondo well on April 20, 2010, led to enormous consequences for the individuals involved in the drilling operations, and for their families. Eleven workers on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig lost their lives and 16 others were seriously injured. There were also enormous consequences for the companies involved in the drilling operations, to the Gulf of Mexico environment, and to the economy of the region and beyond. The flow continued for nearly 3 months before the well could be completely killed, during which time, nearly 5 million barrels of oil spilled into the gulf.

Macondo Well-Deepwater Horizon Blowout examines the causes of the blowout and provides a series of recommendations, for both the oil and gas industry and government regulators, intended to reduce the likelihood and impact of any future losses of well control during offshore drilling. According to this report, companies involved in offshore drilling should take a "system safety" approach to anticipating and managing possible dangers at every level of operation -- from ensuring the integrity of wells to designing blowout preventers that function under all foreseeable conditions-- in order to reduce the risk of another accident as catastrophic as the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill. In addition, an enhanced regulatory approach should combine strong industry safety goals with mandatory oversight at critical points during drilling operations.

Macondo Well-Deepwater Horizon Blowout discusses ultimate responsibility and accountability for well integrity and safety of offshore equipment, formal system safety education and training of personnel engaged in offshore drilling, and guidelines that should be established so that well designs incorporate protection against the various credible risks associated with the drilling and abandonment process. This book will be of interest to professionals in the oil and gas industry, government decision makers, environmental advocacy groups, and others who seek an understanding of the processes involved in order to ensure safety in undertakings of this nature.

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