Companies blame each other at US Congress oil spill hearing

BP today told the US Congress its massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was caused by the failure of a crucial safety device made by another company.

In turn, that company said today that BP was in charge, and that a third company which poured concrete to plug the exploratory well did not do it right. The third company, which was plugging the well in anticipation of future production, says it was only following BP’s plan.

The blame game shot into the open today as the Senate began a hearing into the oil spill that has been contaminating water in the Gulf of Mexico for three weeks and threatens sensitive marshes and marine life from Louisiana to Florida.

Executives of the three companies are testifying before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.