Deepwater Horizon, Part 1: A Cosmology Episode at Macondo Well and The Boundaries of Plausibility

In the first part of our Deepwater Horizon episode, I delve into the disaster prior to its emergence as a public narrative. I start by recalling the Exxon Valdez incident, then transition to the Gulf of Mexico, where offshore drilling has ventured into deeper waters, navigating more intricate technical landscapes and grappling with a challenging interplay between expertise and uncertainty. On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon rig had been working in around 5,000 feet of water above the Macondo well, which was situated about 50 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana. The current episode centers on Karl Weick’s concept of the “cosmology episode”: a pivotal occurrence when people's ordered understanding of reality starts to collapse,  compelling them to make decisions amid the uncertainty. In high-risk environments, risk factors often hide in the obscurity, seldom revealing themselves with adequate visibility. Part 1 explores the dynamics at play when experts are compelled to interpret situations under pressure, relying on incomplete information and established disaster frameworks. Part 2 will transition from the rig to the public. I look at their legitimate efforts to stop the leak, how BP’s messaging shifted notably throughout the crisis, image restoration efforts, accountability procedures, and the enduring repercussions of the oil spill.