[TheRealVille]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- BP will plead guilty to manslaughter charges stemming from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and agreed to pay $4.5 billion in government penalties, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Thursday.
Of the penalties, $4 billion will resolve criminal charges and an additional $525 million will be paid to resolve claims brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission that BP lied to investors by understating the amount of oil flowing into the Gulf.
In addition, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging the two highest-ranking BP supervisors on board the Deepwater Horizon on the day of the explosion with 23 criminal counts, including charges of seaman's manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter for each of the 11 men killed in the blast, as well as a criminal violation of the clean water act.
The grand jury also charged BP's second-highest ranking representative at the company's unified command post with hiding information from Congress and allegedly lying to law enforcement officials.
The company also will plead guilty to a felony count of obstruction of Congress, a misdemeanor count under the Clean Water Act and a misdemeanor count under the Migratory Bird Treaty.
The settlement is subject to federal judicial review.
"All of us at BP deeply regret the tragic loss of life caused by the Deepwater Horizon accident as well as the impact of the spill on the Gulf coast region," Bob Dudley, chief executive of BP (BP), said in a statement. "From the outset, we stepped up by responding to the spill, paying legitimate claims and funding restoration efforts in the Gulf."
"We apologize for our role in the accident, and as today's resolution with the U.S. government further reflects, we have accepted responsibility for our actions," Dudley added.
The fine comes on top of $20 billion that the company has agreed to pay into a trust fund to meet damage claims from the millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf. It said it expects to pay a final $860 million into that fund this quarter.
BP reported a $17.2 billion loss in the quarter when the explosion took place. But it has been profitable since then, booking total profits of $43 billion over the course of the subsequent nine quarters. It will not be able to use the fines to reduce the amount of taxes it owes, Holder said.
Family members of the victims who spoke to CNN Thursday said they were pleased that BP was being forced to pay for the blast, but said it doesn't make up for their loss.
"It doesn't bring my boy back, but it does show everybody that they're guilty and everybody knows it," said Billy Anderson, whose son Jason was one of the rig workers killed.
Arlene Weise lost her 24-year-old son Adam on the rig that day.
"I knew all along that BP was the devil in that accident," she said. "Now they're getting their due."
But Weise said Thursday's announcement offered only a limited sense of justice.
"It doesn't matter how much money anyone pays," she said. "It doesn't nearly amount to what we've lost."
The well was capped three months after the explosion, but in that time, the spill caused extensive environmental damage to the Gulf. Embattled CEO Tony Hayward was forced to resign, and BP shares plummeted.
BP has reached a $7.8 billion settlement with lawyers representing private-sector victims. But in September of this year, the Justice Department accused BP of gross negligence and a "culture of corporate recklessness" in a federal court filing, which expanded the company's liability.
Related: U.S. to become biggest oil producer
A major civil trial set to take place in New Orleans has been delayed until February 2013.
Transocean (RIG), the owner and operator of the rig, also has unresolved liability issues. The DOJ, in its September filing, said the company is also guilty of gross negligence.
"BP did not act alone, by any means, and its gross negligence and willful misconduct are inextricably joined with the acts and omissions of Transocean," the government said in the filing.
Without naming Transocean, BP said Thursday it is not the only company to blame for the accident.
"Today's agreement is consistent with BP's position in the ongoing civil litigation that this was an accident resulting from multiple causes, involving multiple parties, as found by other official investigations," said the company's statement.
BP will have up to six years to pay the money it agreed to as part of the settlement. Most of that money -- $2.4 billion -- will go to the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, an independent not-for-profit conservation group chartered by Congress in 1984. It is a windfall for the group, whose total contributions and commitments since its founding are just above $2 billion.
Another $350 million will go to the National Academy of Science.
BP identified the remaining $1.256 billion of the settlement as a "criminal fine." More than $1 billion of that fine will go to the U.S. Coast Guard's Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, to be available for cleanup -- and compensation for those affected by -- oil spills in the Gulf .
It is single largest criminal fine on record. The previous record was $1.195 billion criminal fine paid by Pfizer (PFE, Fortune 500) as part of a $2.3 billion settlement in September 2009 over the fraudulent marketing of anti-inflammatory arthritis drug Bextra.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/15/news/bp-...?hpt=hp_t1

[LWC]

If they are government penalties, does the 4.5 Billion go to the Federal Government?

[sawmill]

If they are government penalties, does the 4.5 Billion go to the Federal Government?

No if it had been civil it would go to the people

[TheRealVille]

If they are government penalties, does the 4.5 Billion go to the Federal Government?

This is basically a fine for the damage done. The BP has settled with private sector victims for 7.8 billion.

[TheRealVille]

Another oil rig is on fire in the Gulf, 20 miles off the coast of Louisiana, as we speak. I wonder how much this one will spill?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-5755...-la-coast/

[Stardust]

It's why we need wind-powered vehicles

[Image: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_orkXxp0bhEA/SZ...indcar.jpg]

[TheRealThing]

Another oil rig is on fire in the Gulf, 20 miles off the coast of Louisiana, as we speak. I wonder how much this one will spill?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-5755...-la-coast/

Not sure what you're trying to say with this. This oil platform was not in production when the explosion and fire occured. Work to upgrade the platform was going on, not oil production activity. Regulations specify the use of a 'cold cutting device' such as an air saw to cut a pipe used to move flammable materials, but an acetylene torch was used anyway. A contractor was engaged in cutting a pipe on the rig and ignited fumes in the pipe which then ignited fuel tanks on the rig. It is not known if any of that fuel was spilled into the Gulf, but there was likely no oil because the rig is sound and no production piping was damaged. The fire didn't last very long BTW. Was this supposed to be some more damning evidence that oil production/drilling is evil?

[TheRealVille]

Not sure what you're trying to say with this. This oil platform was not in production when the explosion and fire occured. Work to upgrade the platform was going on, not oil production activity. Regulations specify the use of a 'cold cutting device' such as an air saw to cut a pipe used to move flammable materials, but an acetylene torch was used anyway. A contractor was engaged in cutting a pipe on the rig and ignited fumes in the pipe which then ignited fuel tanks on the rig. It is not known if any of that fuel was spilled into the Gulf, but there was likely no oil because the rig is sound and no production piping was damaged. The fire didn't last very long BTW.

Is everything I ever say something for you to try to read something into it? It is now being reported that they were not drilling, and only spilled 28 gallons, only creating a 1/2 mile "sheen" of oil. That was not being reported when I posted, and I was merely voicing hopes that it wasn't like the last one. I work pipe, I know procedures, btw. Probably tons more than you know about pipe, being a carpenter.


I guess I should edit since you added another sentence at the end. If I didn't say I thought oil production was evil, don't presume I think it.

[TheRealVille]

^The explosion was big enough to probably have killed the two that are missing, and injured several, at least 11, more. Are you downplaying that by saying "the fire didn't last long", TRT? This is no small thing if people are burnt and dead.

[TheRealThing]

Is everything I ever say something for you to try to read something into it? It is now being reported that they were not drilling, and only spilled 28 gallons, only creating a 1/2 mile "sheen" of oil. That was not being reported when I posted, and I was merely voicing hopes that it wasn't like the last one. I work pipe, I know procedures, btw. Probably tons more than you know about pipe, being a carpenter.


I guess I should edit since you added another sentence at the end. If I didn't say I thought oil production was evil, don't presume I think it.

I did add a sentence, so what? All the information I posted was on the link you put up. You're the one who said "I wonder how much this one will spill?"
What did it have to do with your thread starter if you weren't compiling a 'short list' of drilling mishaps, as if this one may have further ecological impact in the Gulf? I wasn't jumping to conclusions to make that connection was I?

[TheRealThing]

^The explosion was big enough to probably have killed the two that are missing, and injured several, at least 11, more. Are you downplaying that by saying "the fire didn't last long", TRT? This is no small thing if people are burnt and dead.

LOL, you didn't mention anything about being concerned about those killed and maimed in the incident. You indicated there was an oil drilling rig aflame out in the gulf that had the potential to create another ecological disaster, and you mused as to how much oil would spill from "this one".

[TheRealVille]

LOL, you didn't mention anything about being concerned about those killed and maimed in the incident. You indicated there was an oil drilling rig aflame out in the gulf that had the potential to create another ecological disaster, and you mused as to how much oil would spill from "this one".

When I wrote that, I didn't know anything about people hurt, missing, and dead. I had just saw a ticker on CNN. I'll post my quote below, and you show me where I said anything about potential, or asked anything other than I wonder how much this one will spill? As you all say, don't read into what I say, other than what I actually say. We are on a thread about another rig that created one of the biggest spills in history, this was another oil rig explosion, that warrants asking that simple question. BTW, If I were you I wouldn't say much about me "feeling the need to respond to every post you make", when you are the very one doing/starting it.

Another oil rig is on fire in the Gulf, 20 miles off the coast of Louisiana, as we speak. I wonder how much this one will spill?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-5755...-la-coast/

[TheRealVille]

I did add a sentence, so what? All the information I posted was on the link you put up. You're the one who said "I wonder how much this one will spill?"
What did it have to do with your thread starter if you weren't compiling a 'short list' of drilling mishaps, as if this one may have further ecological impact in the Gulf? I wasn't jumping to conclusions to make that connection was I?

Yes, you were jumping to conclusions. This section of the board is "politics, and current events", I posted a current event with the start of this thread yesterday. This was a new event on the same topic, that happened today.

[TheRealThing]

Yes, you were jumping to conclusions. This section of the board is "politics, and current events", I posted a current event with the start of this thread. And this was a new event on the same topic, that happened today.

Bull

[TheRealVille]

Bull

Now you go to church Sunday and cry, and ask forgiveness for judging someone without knowing. You are wrong, and if your god is real, he knows you are.

[TheRealThing]

Now you go to church Sunday and cry, and ask forgiveness for judging someone without knowing. You are wrong, and if your god is real, he knows you are.

My God is The God, and He's real whether RealVille and RealThing win an argument with each other about that or not. And the judging that I am precluded by the scriptures from participating in, is any judgement that I may choose to make about whether folks other than myself are saved or not. Therefore I choose not to make that kind of judgement. But, thanks for the spiritual advice, none the less.

[TheRealVille]

My God is The God, and He's real whether RealVille and RealThing win an argument with each other about that or not. And the judging that I am precluded by the scriptures from participating in, is any judgement that I may choose to make about whether folks other than myself are saved or not. Therefore I choose not to make that kind of judgement. But, thanks for the spiritual advice, none the less.

If your god is real, he knows your politics drive your religion, not the other way around. Either way, you were wrong on this judgement, and not willing to man up to admit it, and he knows it. Maybe you should just stick to what's actually said, and not try to read thoughts.

[Hoot Gibson]

If your god is real, he knows your politics drive your religion, not the other way around. Either way, you were wrong on this judgement, and not willing to man up to admit it, and he knows it. Maybe you should just stick to what's actually said, and not try to read thoughts.

Can you say HYPOCRITE, RV? :hilarious:

You are a real piece of work. What has it been, two days, maybe three, since you called me a liar, I proved you wrong, and then you refused to admit your mistake or to apologize?

You show nobody any respect on this forum and you deserve just as much in return. TheRealThing has shown more patience and more respect to you than you have any right to expect. You repeatedly remind us that you have absolutely no interest in having a civil discussion with anybody who disagrees with you and given your depth of ignorance on so many subjects, there will never be a shortage of people with whom you will disagree.

[TheRealVille]

Given that this new oil rig explosion was caused by pipe workers not following proper procedure, it is a pretty safe bet that the contractor is a non union contractor. There is a massive fire happening as we speak in a Texas refinery. If it comes out that it was human caused, we will probably find out that it was non union workers that caused also. But, the Texas refinery fire is another thread.

[TheRealVille]

Can you say HYPOCRITE, RV? :hilarious:

You are a real piece of work. What has it been, two days, maybe three, since you called me a liar, I proved you wrong, and then you refused to admit your mistake or to apologize?

You show nobody any respect on this forum and you deserve just as much in return. TheRealThing has shown more patience and more respect to you than you have any right to expect. You repeatedly remind us that you have absolutely no interest in having a civil discussion with anybody who disagrees with you and given your depth of ignorance on so many subjects, there will never be a shortage of people with whom you will disagree.

You didn't prove me wrong, you proved that someone else said there was a broken link also. All I saw when I went to linkedin was that there wasn't even a person by that named listed. So, as far as I know they were never there, and shouldn't have been named in the first place. He has the proof before him, though.

[Hoot Gibson]

You didn't prove me wrong, you proved that someone else said there was a broken link also. All I saw when I went to linkedin was that there wasn't even a person by that named listed. He has the proof before him, though.

I posted an article that stated here profile was removed on the day that I said it disappeared. You lied and you are still lying.

[TheRealVille]

^ There is a reason I'll never apologize to you. I don't like you. nicker:

[TheRealVille]

TRT, on the other hand had a plain statement in front of him. He had to think he was mind reading to twist it like he did. I don't think his god gives him that gift.

[Hoot Gibson]

^ There is a reason I'll never apologize to you. I don't like you. nicker:

If a mindless twit like you liked me, then I would have to wonder what I was doing wrong. Is the fact that you don't like me your excuse for being a liar as well?

[TheRealThing]

TRT, on the other hand had a plain statement in front of him. He had to think he was mind reading to twist it like he did. I don't think his god gives him that gift.

I connected the dots for you in posts 10 and 11. What else do you want, an apology? Those were my honest conclusions based on your own personal comments. If I am wrong, then it's an honest mistake.