BP static kill a ‘significant milestone’

Early days yet but hats off to BP, the only people who seem to have been doing anything constructive regarding this situation.

Although I feel that whatever they do, certain Americans will trump up some kind of negative counter.

Having just retired as Marine Superintendent at a major oil & gas exporting terminal in Africa and, 20 years ago piloted & loaded the Exxon Valdez (then renamed Exxon Mediterranean). However the more I follow this accident the more disgusted I am with President Obama's actions with BP's accdent. No doubt President Obama will end up as having sorted this problem out whilst giving BP no credit for their work & expertise. I mean he has to screw as much cash & as many votes as he can out of this. T. Canyon, Exxon Valdez, Braer etc etc show that nature clears most of the mess not the President of the USA.

Would it be insensitive to ask the size of the oil field?

Im am just waiting for Barack to give some sort of speach giving himself a big pat on the back!

Do any americans actually listen to what he says?!

The news reports indicate that the enviro damage is a lot less than the earlier hysterical claims from Obama and the compensation seekers. David Booth is right; nature clears up the mess quite well.

When I heard Obama on the news this evening I thought, "Here we go, he's beginning to take the credit already."

Clearly I'm not alone in my thinking.

American operated drilling operation explodes April 2010, very regretfully killing 11 men in an industrial accident.

BP has since spent out billions of dollars in repair operations and paid out in compensation without need of legal action, and now in August the leak is stopped.

Compare this to Union Carbide in Bhopal where in December 1984 aproximately 3500 people died immediately, and at least 100000 have died since.

Union Carbide after lengthy negotiations paid out in 1999 $470 million in insurance covered compensation

Note fifteen year delay!!

Indian Government still cleaning up damage

Mr Obama and other scene stealer's please hang your head in shame at your general lack of comprehension as to how to behave in a crisis and treat your fellow man

The Indians should use the Obama administration's actions to press a comparable Bhopal claim.

As for this oil spill, it is sadly true that most engineering advances stem from serious reverses. In this case, there does seem to have been a combination of a need for quick results and a lack of a back-up plan. BP has to take some stick for those decisions.

BP has the experience of the North Sea. Its safety and technical procedures are sophisticated enough to have foreseen the Deepwater catastrophy. From an engineering point of view there are no excuses. The leak should have solicited a technical response not the PR mess that resulted.

Regarding the share price, this incident should have strengthened the management of the operation.