Deepwater Horizon and the Gulf oil spill - the key questions answered

One year after the fire and explosion on the BP Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, we round up the main points so farWhy was there an explosion and fire on Deepwater Horizon oil rig?According to BP's September 2010 report, the accident started with a "well integrity failure". This was followed by a loss of control of the pressure of the fluid in the well. The "blowout preventer", a device which should automatically seal the well in the event of such a loss of control, failed to engage. Hydrocarbons shot up the well at an uncontrollable rate and ignited, causing a series of explosions on the rig. Continue reading...