BP rig's safety valve failed test before oil spill explosion

The safety valve protecting BP's oil well in the Gulf of Mexico failed a key pressure test just hours before an explosion causing the deaths of 11 people and a growing environmental catastrophe.
By Rowena Mason, telegraph.co.uk, May 12, 2010

BP officials told an official hearing that the rig's safety device - known as a blowout preventer - had highlighted problems before the accident.

The Deepwater Horizon rig operated and owned by contractor Transocean caught fire and sank almost three weeks ago, leaving BP responsible for clearing up the huge spill.

At U.S. congressional hearings this week, BP and Transocean, the contractor, blamed one another for "a cascade of failures" that led to the massive oil spill threatening America's south-eastern coastline. BP continues its efforts to seal the leak, which is gushing 5,000 barrels per day into the ocean.

It emerged yesterday in the testimony of James Dupree, BP's senior vice president for the Gulf, that tests before the blast showed "discrepancies" in pressure levels. These tests are meant to ensure the integrity of cement poured into the well to keep out natural gas. Another contractor, Halliburton, had just finished cement work hours before the blast.

"There was something happening in the well bore that shouldn't be happening," said Steven Newman, Transocean's chief executive officer.

A Democrat member of the committee, Bart Stupak, reported that the blowout preventer "apparently had a significant leak". The device had also been modified in "unexpected ways," he said, and may not have been strong enough to shut the well.

Henry Waxman, the Democrat chairman of the committee, said the case cast doubt over the oil majors' insistence that deepwater drilling is safe.

"BP, one of the largest oil companies, assured Congress and the public that it could operate safely in deep water and that a major oil spill was next to impossible," Waxman said. "We now know those assurances were wrong."

1,200 homes foreclosed on in past month in Charlotte area

Pets Also Victims Of Soaring Foreclosures In Charlotte Area
wsoctv.com, Jan. 21, 2008

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Another, unsettling symptom of the housing crisis -- the Humane Society of the United States is reporting an alarming number of displaced animals. Some are given up by owners who are forced to move out, others are simply abandoned.

Animal shelters -- including Charlotte's --- are quickly filling up.

Pebbles is now a resident of the Humane Society of Charlotte’s shelter. She was found abandoned in a house in Gaston County and is still recovering.

"She was actually in pretty bad condition. She's better now," said Kristi Perman of the Humane Society of Charlotte.

Though they aren't sure about why Pebbles was left behind, the Humane Society of the United States suspects she could have been a victim of the disturbing trend of pets being left behind after foreclosures.

"An animal will literally starve to death. It's a horrible way to die, especially for an animal that's lived as part of a family -- they're sitting there waiting for their family to come home," said Stephanie Shain, an animal care expert.

A report compiled this month for Eyewitness News shows 1,200 Charlotte-area foreclosures over the past month.

In most cases, Eyewitness News was told those families are bringing their animals to shelters, which are already near capacity.

Charlotte's Humane Society took in 1,500 dogs and cats last year. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Control said told us they've accepted 15,000 more.

It’s often an emotional experience for the owners.

"You know they have to move -- where they're moving they can't take their pets. Whether it be a new apartment or townhome,” Perman said. "We get those situations a lot. It's difficult to see sometimes. They really care about their pets -- they just can't take them with them.”

The United States Humane Society says if you're forced to move out of your home and into a rental unit, don't just ask your landlord whether pets are allowed. Get his or her permission in writing to avoid disagreements later and to avoid having to give up your animals.

In North Carolina, animal abandonment is a misdemeanor crime, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

If you're in need of help for your pets, or if you'd like to adopt one of these animals, visit the Humane Society of Charlotte’s Web site.