Business Responsibility and Sustainability BHS0032 Dr Eshani Beddewela Week 03 Tutorial Please add your name to the tutorial slides

Tutorial Discussion Case BP – The Deep water Horizon Oil Spill

Background On 20 April 2010 BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded and burned, killing 11 workers and injuring 17. The $600 million rig, located approximately 41 miles off the USA’s Louisiana shore, subsequently sank. Millions of gallons of oil started leaking into the Gulf of Mexico and despite efforts to stem the leak and contain the oil on the surface, the slick spread. A total of 4.9 million barrels of oil gushed into the gulf until the leak was capped on 15 July 2010 - the largest ever maritime oil spill in the world.

After the spill According to BP, no single action or inaction was behind the accident. Instead, "multiple companies, work teams and circumstances were involved over time". BP blamed the combination of "a complex and interlinked series of mechanical failures, human judgements, engineering design, operational implementation and team interfaces". Tony Hayward tells reporters on a beach in Port Fourchon, Louisiana that 'he wants his life back'. Photograph: Daniel Beltra/Greenpeace/EPA (The Guardian) http://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/jul/27/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-bp-gaffes

One month after the explosion BP stated that the environmental impact of the oil spill would likely be “very very modest” calling the spill “relatively tiny” in comparison to the size of the ocean. But, after another oil plume was discovered on 27 May 2010, BP changed its assessment, calling the spill an “environmental catastrophe”. BP was accused of not being completely transparent or truthful about the spill.

Group Discussion Question 1 In your teams you need to develop your practice based recommendations to BP in the immediate aftermath of the disaster consisting of: Your target/ goals for BP post-crisis; and Your proposed actions for BP post-crisis.

Group Answer Template Goals for BP (After the Disaster) Proposed Actions for BP

Remember to read the case study for your next week’s tutorial!