Transocean executive is grilled; BP lawyers work to poke holes in case
The Times-Picayune
By Richard Thompson
27 March 2013
The Transocean executive who led the Swiss-based company’s internal investigation into the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster testified Tuesday that the drilling rig was “in really good shape” before the accident, as the company’s lawyers worked to poke holes in previous testimony that blamed the rig owner for BP’s Macondo well blowout.
Bill Ambrose, Transocean’s director of special projects, testified on the 17th day of the sprawling civil trial to determine liability for the accident and assess tens of billions of dollars in fines and damages. Ambrose was Transocean’s director of maintenance and technical support when the Deepwater Horizon caught fire and exploded April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers and leading to one of the largest oil spills in the nation’s history.
During direct questioning by Transocean lawyer Rachel Clingman, Ambrose recalled learning about the accident early the next morning.