Oil spill blame game starts again as BP releases report

BP has shared out the blame for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in its internal inquiry into the disaster, published today.

The company, which absolved itself of gross negligence – a charge that could have led to a $21.1bn fine if proven – was also keen to highlight the failings of its partners involved with the Macondo oil well.

BP points the finger at Transocean, the company in charge of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which exploded and set off the oil spill. "Over a 40-minute period, the Transocean rig crew failed to recognise and act on the influx of hydrocarbons into the well," says a BP statement.

BP also highlighted the poor cementing job, which was carried out by another partner, Halliburton.

Analysts say the report will act as ammunition for BP to defend itself from the multi-billion dollar lawsuits it is facing.

But it has faced accusations of a whitewash, not least from its spurned partner Transocean which said today that BP had produced "a self-serving report that attempts to conceal the critical factor that set the stage for the Macondo incident: BP's fatally flawed well design".

Read a full report at the Daily Telegraph. ·