Week 2: Operational failure case studies

Question 1

What was the deepwater horizon oil spill?

Answer 1

A 2010 oil spill that occured in the gulf of mexico, considered the largest accidental marine oil spill to date

Question 2

What were the consequences of Deepwater horizon?

Answer 2

4.9 million barrels flowed from reserve for 87 days, 11 dead, extensive damage to marine species and the ocean floor

Question 3

What cause the oil spill?

Answer 3

Immediate causes:
Catastrophic failure of blow out preventor
failure and misread of detection data
Misreading and failure of well

Root Causes:
Industry management failures
Poor risk assesment
Poor decision making
Poor communication between stakeholders
Inadequate consideration of risk

Question 4

What was the walkerton tragedy?

Answer 4

a 2000 water contamination case in Ontario, where heavy rainfall washed cattle manure into water sources, spreading E.Coli to residences

Question 5

What were the consequences of the walkerton tragedy?

Answer 5

7 death, 2500 ill with symptoms like diarreha

Question 6

What caused the tragedy?

Answer 6

Immediate Causes:
Management neglect
no formal training
No operator certification

root causes:
Inadequate training
insufficient funding
Details in documentation overlooked
protection measures were not considered