Famous last words: “Acceptable Industry Standards”

The Wall Street Journal has a very in-depth look at the decisions and oversights that led to the BP oil rig catastrophe.

BP Decisions Made Well Vulnerable – WSJ.com.

One of the final tasks was to cement in place the steel pipe that ran into the oil reservoir. The cement would fill the space between the outside of the pipe and the rock, preventing any gas from flowing up the sides.

Halliburton, the cementing contractor, advised BP to install numerous devices to make sure the pipe was centered in the well before pumping cement, according to Halliburton documents, provided to congressional investigators and seen by the Journal. Otherwise, the cement might develop small channels that gas could squeeze through.

In an April 18 report to BP, Halliburton warned that if BP didn’t use more centering devices, the well would likely have “a SEVERE gas flow problem.” Still, BP decided to install fewer of the devices than Halliburton recommended—six instead of 21.

BP said it’s still investigating how cementing was done. Halliburton said that it followed BP’s instructions, and that while some “were not consistent with industry best practices,” they were “within acceptable industry standards.”

Sounds like those “acceptable industry standards” might warrant a second look.

can’t trust a person just cuz they’re “your people”

Some people tend to stick to their own kind in friendships and business, but the reality is that it’s not so simple as “we are all Chinese” (to use a phrase I’ve heard a few times before).

East Bay Express | Monica’s Victims
A Chinatown construction magnate may have ripped off taxpayers and workers for as much as $20 million. Now she’s trying to evict Le Cheval.