Beyond Pissed - Open Letter to Mr. Hayward

News flash from The Australian dated May 24, 2010.

BP's chief executive has told staff he is frustrated by the company's failure to stop an oil leak in the US Gulf of Mexico and warned that an attempt to do so starting next week could fail.

In an email to staff late on Friday, local time, Tony Hayward said: "I have shared a huge sense of frustration that we have not yet been able to stop the leak", which started a month ago when a rig leased by BP exploded and sank.

Mr Hayward said an effort to cap the well using heavy drilling fluids, a process known as "top kill" that is due to be implemented this week, "would be another first for this technology at these water depths and so we cannot take its success for granted".

Dear Mr. Hayward,

A month on and the oil continues to flow.  Schools of fish try to jump out of the water in a futile attempt to get oxygen.  They will surely die.

A month on and the oil continues to flow.  Turtles and dolphins are being found dead.

A month on and the oil continues to flow.  Marsh birds are covered with oil.  Some will be saved but many more will surely die.

A month on and the oil continues to flow.   The Louisiana marsh is being polluted.

Eleven people have died, families are facing financial ruin, and we are facing an environmental disaster greater than any we have ever known and your response Mr. Hayward is that you are "frustrated"!

Mr. Hayward the Powell doctrine simple states that if you break it you fix it, of course this doctrine was referring to war, but I think it is appropriate to this disaster.  Mr. Hayward your focus and the focus of all the resources of BP need to be on fixing this environmental disaster whatever the cost; you broke it, you own it.  Having said that it is clear that this disaster is way beyond BP's expertise otherwise a viable solution would have been proposed and executed before now.  It is clear from your own words Mr. Hayward that BP is clueless about how to deal with this disaster therefore you need to humble yourself and ask for help.

It is also clear that BP was and is operating way beyond the bounds of its technical expertise.  In your own words, Mr. Hayward, you state that the next so-called solution, "would be another first for this technology at these water depths and so we cannot take its success for granted".  Mr. Hayward it is clear that proper risk assessment and safeguards were apparently not considered otherwise there would have been ready made solutions rather than sophomoric experimentation and failed attempts to deal with this disaster.  We need you, Mr. Hayward, to propose a industry wide moratorium on deep water drilling until proper risk and safeguards are developed, tested and implemented.  If BP cannot stop a leak from 1 mile down, Mr. Hayward,  how might oil companies deal with a disaster 3 miles down as they begin to drill off the coast of Brazil or the Artic?

Mr. Hayward if you are "frustrated" then you must know that we are angry.  Man-up, take responsibility and fix this problem whatever the cost. If you cannot fix it then step aside and make room for someone who can.

Beyond Pissed,

Tim & Mary