Thursday, December 30, 2010

Transocean Refuses

Rig owner Transocean refuses to honor Gulf of Mexico oil spill subpoenas


Ted Jackson, The Times-PicauneThe the BP blowout preventer is lashed to a barge docked at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in eastern New Orleans on Sept. 13.

December 30, 2010 - The owner of the rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico is refusing to honor subpoenas from a federal board that has challenged the company's involvement in monitoring the testing of a key piece of equipment that failed to stop the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.

Transocean said the U.S. Chemical Safety Board does not have jurisdiction in the probe, so it doesn't have a right to the documents and other items it seeks. The board told The Associated Press late Wednesday that it does have jurisdiction and it has asked the Justice Department to intervene to enforce the subpoenas.

Last week, the board demanded that the testing of the failed blowout preventer stop until Transocean and Cameron International are removed from any hands-on role in the examination. It said it's a conflict of interest. The request is pending. {continued}

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