BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Incident Specific Preparedness Review (ISPR).

摘要

For the nation, the Deepwater Horizon oil well blowout and release was unprecedented in scope, scale, and duration. While the response system established by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) has effectively dealt with approximately 1,500 oil spill incidents per year since its enactment, this incident exposed deficiencies in planning and preparedness for an uncontrolled release of oil from an offshore drilling operation. The incident also highlighted the differences between the system of response for oil spills and that provided for other emergencies such as natural disasters and terrorist incidents. This report urges that planning and preparedness programs be reviewed, and that adequate funding be provided to enhance oil spill preparedness and response programs so they can effectively address an offshore Spill of National Significance. Additionally, the report recommends a thorough review of the standards used to determine the adequacy of private sector oil spill response capability. Although the approved response plan for the Macondo well was in compliance with Government standards for response capability to address a worst case discharge (WCD), there is a critical need to ensure that oil and gas facility response plans (OSRPs) and existing Area Contingency Plans provide for sufficient trained personnel, equipment, and response resources to address the WCD from any offshore drilling operation. Beyond the need for sufficient resources for on-water response and shoreline protection, it is evident that more resources need to be dedicated to improve technology and response protocols to adequately address source control and containment objectives arising from an uncontrolled well blowout. The Deepwater Horizon incident severely tested the Nations response capability to address an uncontrolled, sustained, deepwater oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This report identifies aspects of the response that failed, aspects that did not proceed as previously planned, and areas where new or different response protocols may have provided better results. Through identification of these areas, the Coast Guard, and the entire response community, will be better equipped to address and implement change to improve the Nations oil spill response capability. During the field research phase of this report process, the team observed many facets of the response that did work as planned, produced expected results, and were evidence of experience drawn from prior events and exercises.