Macondo Well-Deepwater Horizon blowout: Lessons for offshore drilling safety

This report examines the causes of the blowout of the Macondo well that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010 and provides a series of recommendations, for both the oil and gas industry and government regulators, intended to reduce the likelihood and impact of any future losses of well control during offshore drilling. It raises questions about industry’s overall safety preparedness, the ability to handle the complexities of the deepwater operations, industry oversight to approve and monitor well plans and operational practices, and personnel competency and training. This document was written by the Committee for Analysis of Causes of the Deepwater Horizon Explosion, Fire, and Oil Spill to Identify Measures to Prevent Similar Accidents to the Future.