Risks of Offshore Oil Drilling: Causes and Consequences of British Petroleum Oil Rig Explosion

Abstract

The British Petroleum oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico has left a legacy of environmental pollution, loss of businesses and health effects. The various stakeholders; British Petroleum, Harliburton, government regulators and Transocean Management Ltd are partly responsible for the safety of Macondo oil rig and they are accountable for negligence, oversight, cost-cutting and shoddy technical fixes which eventually resulted in the explosion. Several species of wildlife and ecosystems were threatened. Efforts were made to cap the well, clean the oil, and rehabilitate affected animals. In spite of the ongoing restoration efforts, there is still uncertainty regarding long-term viability of restored ecosystems.