The New York Times got its hands on a confidential study Lloyd's Register did of Transocean's safety culture. It reveals that the safety concerns present at Deepwater Horizon cropped up at several of Transocean's other rigs as well.
The new documents draw from analyses of three other rigs in the gulf and attempt to provide an overview for the entire North American division of the Transocean fleet.
The safety concerns cited in the company’s assessment of its North American division are supplemented by newly released internal reports concerning the Deepwater Horizon’s equipment. These equipment reports identify dozens of deficiencies, including some relating to the rig’s blowout preventer, and some that are categorized as "critical equipment items that may lead to loss of life, serious injury or environmental damage as a result of inadequate use and/or failure of equipment."
Among other things, the report shows widespread frustration among workers with how the company investigates incidents. Nearly 40 percent of them feel Transocean is more interested in fixing blame. Additionally, 43 percent of workers fear reprisals for reporting problems.
The report also offers more proof of the serious maintenance problems aboard Deepwater Horizon--and even suggests Transocean was fully aware of them.
These new documents refer to at least 36 pieces of equipment in ill repair on the Deepwater Horizon that "may lead to loss of life, serious injury or environmental damage as a result of inadequate use and/or failure of equipment."
The new equipment documents indicate that an inspection of the Deepwater Horizon rig conducted just days before the April 20 accident found various problems with hydraulic relays that controlled the rig’s watertight doors, two of which had to be opened and closed by hand.
When Patty Murray saw these documents, she wasn't at all happy--and suggested that if the oil and gas industry doesn't change its culture, Washington may end up doing it for them.