Disaster rig owners blame BP

(AP)

The owner of the rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico last year has largely blamed oil giant BP for the disaster.

A report by Transocean report released today said the Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting oil spill last year was the result of a succession of well design, construction, and temporary abandonment decisions that compromised the integrity of the well and compounded the risk of its failure. The Swiss firm said many of the decisions were made by well owner BP in the two weeks before the incident.

Transocean said its evidence indicates that BP failed to properly assess, manage and communicate risk.

BP's own report on the disaster blamed a cascade of failures by multiple companies. US government investigations also have spread around the blame. The findings by all of the various sides will be argued about for months and perhaps years to come as numerous lawsuits make their way through court. The companies involved in the disaster have sued each other seeking to recoup their losses or expected losses from the disaster.

In addition to owning the well that blew out, BP was leasing the rig from Transocean. Eleven workers were killed and the government estimates 206 million gallons of oil leaked before the well was capped three months later.

The Transocean report was by an internal investigation team comprised of experts from various technical fields and other specialists. Transocean said the loss of evidence with the rig and the unavailability of certain witnesses limited its investigation and analysis in some areas.