US chem safety board opens investigation into BP rig explosion

21 June 2010 18:42  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) will open an investigation into the causes of the BP rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, the government agency said on Monday.

The CSB is the next government agency looking into what is being described as the worst environmental disaster in US history. The US Attorney General’s office opened a criminal investigation into the accident.

Neither BP nor the CSB immediately replied to calls for comment.

In a letter to the US Committee on Energy and Commerce, the CSB said it would concentrate on events leading up to and including the 20 April explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig. The accident killed 11 people and led to millions of gallons of crude oil leaking into the Gulf area.

The agency said it would use some of the same investigators involved in its examination of the 2005 explosion at BP’s Texas City refinery.

The oil spill, which is estimated to be as high as 60,000 bbl/day, has already cost BP $2bn (€1.6bn) in response and clean-up efforts, the company said.

($1 = €0.80)

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By: Ben Lefebvre
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