Blame Game: Thoughts on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Abstract

The Gulf Coast of Mexico will never be the same. Even after billions of dollars are spent on clean-up efforts,1 the Gulf’s $234 billion dollar economy2 will not be bouncing back quickly, nor will the natural habitats of birds, fish and other marine life that call the Gulf home. Months after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, there is little consensus on exactly how many gallons of oil spilled into the ocean3 and although the leak is now capped, concerns linger as experts work to permanently close the damaged pipeline.4 The far-reaching effects of the spill raise the question of responsibility. Was poor regulatory oversight by the U.S. government the weak linchpin that led to the failure of safeguards? Or does most of the blame belong to British Petroleum (“BP”), the company in charge of operations the day of the accident? Did BP’s greed for greater profit lead to risky drilling practices that caused the accident? As we struggle to measure the environmental damage, implement clean-up operations, and help the thousands of people who depend on fishing and tourism in the Gulf, a central question remains: Who is to blame for the accident?