BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

Summary

Facts

On April 20, 2010, there was an explosion at the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which resulted in the release of over 130 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico (Meiners, 2020). This oil spill was the largest in US history and still has environmental consequences many years later (MSNBC, 2015).

Definition

First of all, the degree of responsibility for the causes of the explosion related to the accident actors, including BP and the sunken rig owners, should be defined. Additionally, in technical terms, it is important to specify how much oil has been spilled and how much damage it has caused to the environment. Finally, it is necessary to define what impact this accident has on the life and well-being of the community.

Evaluation

The accident has dealt huge damage to the environment and has also led to a rise in public distrust of the big crude oil producers. However, the misbehavior of BP management regarding communication with the public and the elimination of the consequences of the accident led to an increase in environmental awareness (Webb, 2010).

Policy

It is necessary to conduct an investigation that would clarify the causes of the accident and establish the degree of responsibility of the actors. Additionally, it is important to assess the damage done to the environment, wildlife, ecosystems, and people in order to select appropriate remedial measures.

The CEOs Rhetorical Situation

BP has actively denied any responsibility since the accident and has tried to minimize the extent of the damage. Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, immediately after the accident, issued a statement of apology and expressed a desire to eliminate the consequences of the accident (climatebrad, 2010). However, shortly after that, the company changed its rhetoric, emphasizing that several companies were involved in the situation, and it was early to draw definite conclusions (Webb, 2010). In post-accident interviews, Hayward also tried to reduce the degree of the companys responsibility, arguing that the Gulf of Mexico is large enough to safely handle the amount of oil spilled (Webb, 2010). Additionally, BP denies the oils negative impact on marine wildlife, focusing its rhetoric on joint efforts with governments to protect Louisianas shores from the effects of the accident. While BP has lost public trust and failed to stop the flow of oil into the gulf, it alone has the technical expertise to handle the situation, which puts it in an advantageous position.