Panel: Transocean not providing oil spill documents

Co-chair of federal investigation panel says organization has failed to provide materials for two months

Published October 5, 2010 3:59PM (EDT)

Members of a federal panel investigating the cause of the Gulf of Mexico rig explosion and oil spill and how to improve safety and oversight are accusing rig owner Transocean of thwarting their efforts to get to critical documents and a witness.

The co-chair of the panel, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Hung Nguyen, told a packed hearing room Tuesday in a New Orleans suburb that members have been trying for two months to get Transocean to turn over materials related to its compliance with international safety management codes.

Nguyen says the panel also has been unable to get a specific Transocean manager to come in and testify about safety.

Transocean lawyers say the document request is too cumbersome. They say whether the witness testifies isn't within their control.

 


By Harry R. Weber

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Gulf Oil Spill