"Experts, Rivals Blast BP Practices"

"Monday was a relatively good day for BP in the glare of oil spill inquiries. Tuesday was a bad day.

Drilling experts and corporate rivals testifying before a presidential oil spill commission blasted BP Tuesday for decisions about the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that might have removed obstacles to the April 20 blowout that led to the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

BP's final well designs were 'deficient in detail,' said Steve Lewis, a drilling engineer with Seldovia Marine Services, who later added that the 'the operational detail in my mind was totally deficient' and 'totally inadequate.'

Shell Oil's chief well scientist Charlie Williams said his company typically uses three to five plugs when temporarily abandoning a well. BP used one. And John Rogers Smith, associate professor of petroleum engineering at Louisiana State University, said the way BP replaced drilling mud with seawater was 'not prudent.'"

Steven Mufson reports for the Washington Post November 9, 2010.

SEE ALSO:

"Company Errors, Complacency Preceded Oil Spill: Panel" (Reuters)

"Testimony: Poor Cementing at BP Well Symptom of Wider Problem" (McClatchy)