I have an idea

[CEHollier]

Maybe it has been thought of before. A hot line to report unsafe drilling practices. Callers are anonymous and there are rewards for proven violations. Kinda like crime stoppers only before the disaster happens. Under federal law the number must be posted in all public areas of the rig. There were people concerned about BP's unsafe practices. They were scared to push the point fearing losing their jobs. This would have allowed them an excellent resource.

 

[mct601]

If that's the case, couldn't one technically contact MMS and simply report safety violations. Or is it not anonymous or something?

 

[LACamper]

They could have notified OSHA the same way.

 

[CEHollier]

They could have notified OSHA the same way.

True, but a large reward would help. Not to mention remaining anonymous.

 

[LACamper]

You've got a point. If they made the reward large enough to retire on (say $10,000,000), then the workers woudn't be worried about their jobs. Make the oil companies pay the reward as part of the penalty for the unsafe conditions. And the oil companies in theory should be happy to pay as $10 mil would be a drop in the bucket compared to the cleanup cost...

 

[Cat]

Y'all are forgetting. NickatNite has said the BP production rigs are voice monitored. Argue with the wife, they'll hear it.

Great idea if it's an extended violation. But they wouldn't be able to remain anonymous on the rig itself. Reporting during an actual safety issue would be moot in that case. You'll possibly save your life but risk loosing your job. Not that a job is worth your life but I don't know if it would work that seamlessly.

 

[themcfarland]

voice monitored. now thats worrisome

 

[kcinnick]

Voice monitored? No cameras?

 

[CEHollier]

Well they have to go home sometimes. The Schlumberger crew that left refusing to comply with the BP company man should have done it. They warned the BP company man the well was kicking and in danger of a blowout to put heavier mud (kill mud) downhole. Instead, the BPCM ordered salt water pumped in. The Schlumberger crew called for their company to get them out.

 

[Cat]

You're 110% correct. If it was that dangerous, they should have reported immediately. But I've also heard everybody who was somebody in the gulf called this the well from hell. It had a preceding reputation. If that's true than is it possible the powers who are knew about the problems anyway?

 

[Cat]

Voice monitored? No cameras?

Some do. Some don't. The horizon didn't have all of the monitoring that their production rigs had. I'm not sure where that discussion was at. Not too long ago.

 

[Duck Jenkins]

Do they have women on that rig?

 

[CEHollier]

Do they have women on that rig?

They do have women on the rigs. Not sure about that rig but it is a federal lease and minority quotas apply.

 

[Cat]

If you read any of the "night it happened" articles describing the events, it was one of the on board women who radioed the emergency. Two were on the rig iirc.

 

[Grim333]

My company has a hotline, goes to a third party company that initiates the investigation. No reward though. If you want a reward, call EPA, they have a program to share penalties with whistleblowers.

 

[nickatnite]

Bp has anonymous hot line that has been set up for 9 yrs that I know of.

And before anyone says it, yes, there are placards all over the rig with the number and also when one gets to a Bp rig, there is Rig orentation video that tells about all of that.

The placard gives a 1800 number and it is anonymous.

 

[Duck Jenkins]

They do have women on the rigs. Not sure about that rig but it is a federal lease and minority quotas apply.

Well that explains somethings to me. I do not understand how the whole world did not know about issues with that rig.

 

[sgt z]

If the rig has the voice recording capabilities, where are the recordings? Did the recording device burn and sink?

 

[Cat]

Our real time drilling monitors (that showed TD/TVD, pump info, ROP, bit wt, hook load, etc if we were drilling and then if we were cementing it could show all of that) that was streaming real time and could be monitored back in Houston.
http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/showpost.php?p=470393&postcount=128

That was NickatNite's explanation.

 

[Duck Jenkins]

You don't monitors if they got women on the rigs IMHO. There will be no secrets.