# BP Boycott **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 10, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671 "2010-06-10T16:43:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/101 "2010-06-11T11:06:11Z")
> [@Happy\_Poster](#): > > **Accidents happen** Quite. That’s why a competent company has some sort of friggin’ plan for dealing with something like this in place before it damn well happens. I want to see all the senior managers and the entire board of directors in chains. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/102 "2010-06-11T11:11:58Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > I guess I’ll go ahead and be on the other side of this and say it is not obviously a case of gross negligence. Did they have a viable plan and all the tried and tested technology and procedures for dealing iwht an accident of this sort? No. Grotesque Negligence of the highest order by definition. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/103 "2010-06-11T12:10:16Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > Did they have a viable plan and all the tried and tested technology and procedures for dealing iwht an accident of this sort? > > No. > > Grotesque Negligence of the highest order by definition. You want to show me this legal definition or court case precendent of “grotesque negligence” that this situation seems to fit so well? ---
**Author:** ![sinical\_brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@sinical\_brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinical_brit)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/104 "2010-06-11T12:33:09Z")
Dont want to get in the way of all these armchair oil, H&S and marketing specialists, but I have been doing some research. 1. If you follow read the OSHA report mentioned in the ABC link - it clearly says the following - on top of each page: Citation and Notification of Penalty **Company Name: BP Products Ltd North America, Inc** Inspection Site: 2401 5th Avenue S, Texas City, Texas. TX 77590 1. [Bloomburg says this](http://tinyurl.com/3xr4q53) about BP Products North America, Inc: “BP Products North America, Inc. engages in the exploration, development, production, refining, and marketing of oil and natural gas. BP Products North America, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is based in Warrenville, Illinois with additional offices in Chicago, Illinois and Houston, Texas. BP Products North America, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of BP plc.” 1. Another interesting thing on that page is this: “Beasley Allen has filed a class action lawsuit in United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama (1:10-cv-00252) on behalf of plaintiff Deupree Outdoor Guide Services, Inc., individually and on behalf of commercial charter fishing guide businesses affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This class may include all Alabama residents who own and/or operate commercial charter fishing guide businesses that have suffered or will in the future suffer economic losses and/or damages as a result of the April 20, 2010 explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Defendants named in the suit are BP plc; BP Products North America, Inc., BP America, Inc.; Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. and Cameron International Corporation.” Let me bold this part up: **Defendants named in the suit are BP plc; BP Products North America, Inc., BP America, Inc.; Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. and Cameron International Corporation.** Only one company there is British - the rest are American companies, governed by American laws and paying American taxes. As usual, Haliburton is never too far away from a scandal. 1. The big fine in 2005. Who was it against ? Lets have look: "The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced it is issuing $87,430,000 in proposed penalties to **BP Products North America Inc.** for the company’s failure to correct potential hazards faced by employees. " Bolding mine. 5. So- as far as I can tell, its not easy to say BP is a UK company, period. I have found the following list of BP subsidiary companies. If any one of these screwup, i would have thought that they, not the parent company, would be responsible. MAJOR AND COMPANY LIMITED LUBRICANTS UK LIMITED BP EXPLORATION MEXICO LIMITED BP EXPLORATION COMPANY(MIDDLE EAST)LIMITED BP SHIPPING LIMITED BP OIL LLANDARCY REFINERY LIMITED CASTROL LIMITED NATIONAL BENZOLE COMPANY LIMITED BP CHEMICALS (IRELAND) LIMITED ALEXANDER DUCKHAM & CO.,LIMITED BP GREECE LIMITED CADMAN DBP LIMITED BP SUTTON LIMITED POWER PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED(THE) BP OIL YEMEN LIMITED BP CHEMICALS LIMITED BP EXPRESS SHOPPING LIMITED YASDAN LIMITED BURMAH-SHELL OIL STORAGE & DISTRIBUTING COMPANY OF INDIA LIMITED BP PENSION TRUSTEES LIMITED CONSOLIDATED PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED(THE) BP MOCAMBIQUE LIMITED BP GLOBAL INVESTMENTS LIMITED KENILWORTH OIL COMPANY LIMITED BP KUWAIT LIMITED BP CHEMICALS INVESTMENTS LIMITED BP EXPLORATION OPERATING COMPANY LIMITED BP INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED BP OIL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED BXL PLASTICS LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (FINANCE) LIMITED DUSSEK CAMPBELL (CABLES) LIMITED MELROSE OIL TRADING COMPANY LIMITED BP CHINA LIMITED KEMWELL LIMITED BAKELITE UK LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (CASPIAN SEA) LIMITED VICEROY INVESTMENTS LIMITED EXPANDITE CONTRACT SERVICES LIMITED BP OIL UK LIMITED THE BRITISH PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED BP BENEVOLENT FUND TRUSTEES LIMITED INTERNATIONAL CARD CENTRE LIMITED HANDYGAS LIMITED BP OIL KENT REFINERY LIMITED BP CHEMICALS TRADING LIMITED KUWAIT OIL COMPANY LIMITED BP WORLD-WIDE TECHNICAL SERVICES LIMITED BP CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS LIMITED ABU DHABI MARINE AREAS LIMITED BP INTERNATIONAL LIMITED BP(GIBRALTAR)LIMITED DUSSEK CAMPBELL LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (VIETNAM) LIMITED BP OIL VIETNAM LIMITED BP AMOCO EXPLORATION (MSA) LIMITED BP COLOMBIA PIPELINES LIMITED FOSROC EXPANDITE LIMITED BP MIDDLE EAST LIMITED B.P.(INDIAN AGENCIES)LIMITED BP EXPLORATION ORINOCO LIMITED BP TURKEY REFINING LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (ANGOLA) LIMITED STELLARIA PROPERTY COMPANY LIMITED BP EXPLORATION COMPANY (COLOMBIA) LIMITED BP CAR FINANCE LIMITED CHARRINGTONS FUELS LTD PROTIM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED BP PROPERTIES LIMITED UNION TEXAS PETROLEUM BP CHEMICALS (INTERNATIONAL) LIMITED B P (ABU DHABI) LIMITED ROPEMAKER PROPERTIES LIMITED BP EXPLORATION SERVICES LIMITED AMOCO U.K.PETROLEUM LIMITED APEX SERVICE STATIONS LIMITED BP TAIWAN LIMITED BP AMOCO EXPLORATION (FAROES) LIMITED AMOCO CHEMICAL U.K. LIMITED BRITANNIC TRADING LIMITED BP KOREA MARKETING LIMITED BP EXPLORATION BETA LIMITED BP GAS MARKETING LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (ALGERIA) LIMITED BP SOUTH EAST ASIA LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (DELTA) LIMITED BP AMOCO EXPLORATION (INAM) LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (EPSILON) LIMITED AMOCO (FIDDICH) LIMITED BP EXPLORATION INDONESIA LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (ALPHA) LIMITED BP EXPLORATION VENEZUELA LIMITED BP AFRICA LIMITED BP TRADING LIMITED BP (GOM) EXPLORATION BP EXPLORATION (NIGERIA FINANCE) LIMITED BP ASIA PACIFIC HOLDINGS LIMITED BP (BARBICAN) LIMITED AIR BP LIMITED EMERALD OFFSHORE SERVICES LIMITED BP MARINE LIMITED DORCHESTER OIL TRADING COMPANY LIMITED BRITISH PIPELINE AGENCY LIMITED A.P.P. CHEMICALS LIMITED BP CAPITAL MARKETS P.L.C. MENEHALL INVESTMENTS LIMITED BURMAH ENDEAVOUR LIMITED BURMAH ENTERPRISE LIMITED BURMAH VESSEL OPERATIONS LIMITED BP PENSIONS LIMITED CASTROL INDUSTRIAL LIMITED BRITANNIC ENERGY TRADING LIMITED THE BP SHARE PLANS TRUSTEES LIMITED BP ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED BP VENEZUELA LIMITED CASTROL CHINA INVESTMENTS LIMITED BP JAPAN TRADING LIMITED BP FINANCE (SOUTH EAST ASIA) LIMITED BP KAZAKHSTAN LIMITED BP OIL VENEZUELA LIMITED BURMAH CASTROL HOLDINGS LIMITED BURMAH CASTROL OVERSEAS HOLDINGS LIMITED CASTROL OVERSEAS INVESTMENTS LIMITED CASTROL OVERSEAS EQUITIES LIMITED CASTROL OVERSEAS NOMINEES LIMITED CASTROL OVERSEAS SECURITIES LIMITED AMOCO FABRICS (U.K.) LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (AZERBAIJAN) LIMITED CASTROL (U.K.) LIMITED BP EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN LIMITED BP CHEMICALS (KOREA) LIMITED CASTROL MIDDLE EAST LIMITED SUNDERLAND OIL STORAGE LIMITED BP ALTERNATIVE ENERGY HOLDINGS LIMITED BP FUELS MARKETING LIMITED BP RUSSIAN INVESTMENTS LIMITED ATLANTIC RICHFIELD OIL & GAS (ST JAMES) LIMITED LUDGATE SIXTY NINE LIMITED CASTROL OFFSHORE LIMITED AMOCO NORTH SEA LIMITED BP-AMOCO GLOBAL POWER (EUROPE) LIMITED ARCO EURASIA AND AFRICA LIMITED BP (UK) POWER HOLDINGS LIMITED AMOCO SERVICES LIMITED AMOCO TEESSIDE GAS LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (ALOV) LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (SHAH DENIZ) LIMITED AMOCO INTERNATIONAL GAS DEVELOPMENT LIMITED BP GLOBAL SPECIAL PRODUCTS LIMITED DUCKHAMS OILS LIMITED BP LUBRICANTS (UK) LIMITED AMOCO EUROPE LIMITED BP IRAN LIMITED BP INVESTMENTS EASTERN EUROPE LIMITED BP+AMOCO INTERNATIONAL LIMITED MEADHURST SERVICES (NO.9) LIMITED LILAC PROPERTIES LIMITED ROPEMAKER NOTTINGHAM LIMITED ELECTRICAL OIL SERVICES LIMITED BP AMOCO EXPLORATION (FORTIES) LIMITED EXPLORATION SERVICE COMPANY LIMITED CENTRAL NORTH SEA FIBRE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY LIMITED ATLANTIC 2/3 UK HOLDINGS LIMITED BP CORPORATE HOLDINGS LIMITED BP FINANCE P.L.C BP CHEMICALS EAST CHINA INVESTMENTS LIMITED THE ESTATE, KNIGHTSBRIDGE LIMITED ROPEMAKER STRATTON (NO.1) LIMITED ROPEMAKER STRATTON (NO.2) LIMITED BP PIPELINES (BTC) LIMITED ROPEMAKER DEANSGATE LIMITED ROPEMAKER STOCKLEY LIMITED ROPEMAKER GILSTON LIMITED ROPEMAKER HAMS HALL LIMITED ROPEMAKER HEYWOOD LIMITED ROPEMAKER MAIDENHEAD LIMITED BP LPG UK LIMITED BP CHP (UK) LIMITED BP PIPELINES (SCP) LIMITED BP (GOM) DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION LIMITED BP (GOM) HOLDINGS LIMITED HOLDINGS BBG LIMITED PEARL RIVER DELTA INVESTMENTS LIMITED GUANGDONG INVESTMENTS LIMITED RUSSIAN HOLDINGS LIMITED BP GLOBAL LNG LIMITED BP OIL LOGISTICS UK LIMITED BTC PIPELINE HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED BP EGYPT LNG LIMITED KRYSTALLON LIMITED BP EGYPT INVESTMENTS LIMITED BP EXPLORATION PERSONNEL COMPANY LIMITED BP WIND ENERGY LIMITED BP SERVICES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED BP EXPLORATION LIBYA LIMITED BP EXPLORATION NORTH AFRICA LIMITED BP SHARJAH LPG LIMITED BP SHARJAH LIMITED FUEL CROPS LIMITED D1-BP FUEL CROPS LIMITED BP INVESTMENTS ASIA LIMITED BP ALGERIE LIMITED HYDROGEN ENERGY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED BP VIETNAM INVESTMENTS LIMITED BP BIOFUELS UK LIMITED BP HOLDINGS NORTH AMERICA LIMITED BP AROMATICS HOLDINGS LIMITED BP AROMATICS LIMITED MIDDLESBROUGH OILS UK LIMITED ABERNEDD POWER COMPANY LIMITED BP IRAQ LIMITED MEADHURST SERVICES (NO.7) LIMITED MEADHURST SERVICES (NO.8) LIMITED ARCO BRITISH LIMITED ARCO BRITISH INTERNATIONAL, INC. CATO FINANCE V LIMITED PARTNERSHIP YOUNG’S PARAFFIN LIGHT AND MINERAL OIL COMPANY LIMITED (THE) B P EXPLORATION COMPANY LIMITED BP-JAPAN OIL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED BURMAH CASTROL PLC J H C REALISATIONS LIMITED BURMAH OIL COMPANY (PAKISTAN TRADING) LIMITED(THE) MACGAS LIMITED SCOTTISH OILS LIMITED S&JD ROBERTSON NORTH AIR LIMITED VEEDOL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED BP EXPLORATION (ZETA) LIMITED BRITOIL PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY BP POWER TRADING LIMITED BRITANNIC STRATEGIES LIMITED BP AMOCO EXPLORATION (IN AMENAS) LIMITED PHP TRADING LIMITED PHP OPERATIONS 4. My final bit of data is the use of the phrase “British Petroleum” over 3 set periods - as found by google results: Search Term: “british petroleum” 1/1/2010\>11/5/2010 = About 2,100,000 results 1/1/2009\>11/5/2009 = About 565,000 results 1/1/2006\>11/5/2006 = About 82,700 results I am sure politicians and the media randomly start re-using old names for companies all the time. … ---
**Author:** ![Marmite\_Lover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Marmite\_Lover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marmite_Lover)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/105 "2010-06-11T12:44:41Z")
Divine retribution? Bad karma? :eek: The US/West wants to control the worlds biggest oil reserves. Invades countries, kills people to do so. Maybe God is telling them something? The New Orleans/Louisiana/Haiti voodoo belt has been hard hit Are they ‘acts of God’?. Don’t they say the end of our current world is near, and these are the signs of the end of days. Thats if you believe in God of course. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/106 "2010-06-11T12:55:45Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Moderating] > > While it’s fascinating to have someone defend BP to such an extent, I’m coming to the conclusion you don’t believe what you are saying and are trying to provoke people. If you want to change my opinion, you need to start coming up with some better arguments and cites instead of shouting with large text and insisting the cites of other posters are inadequate without offering other cites. (‘Here’s a link to OSHA’s database, find my cite for me’ does not count as citing your argument.) > > [/Moderating] **Marley** , that’s ridiculous. He was pretty clear in his objection to the cite, which in no way supported the original claim that “BP collected about 97% of safety citations”, made by **gonzomax**. For one, BP America is only a small part of the BP conglomerate, and for two, the cite only discussed violations in two out of the 50 states in America in the first place, which for all we know, are cherry picked to show the worst statistics from BP, and best from other companies. If BP has only 8 violations in Alaska, and other companies have 500 violations, then what? Further, it makes absolutely no mention of the relative sizes of the operations of the companies operating those states. If BP dominates the Texas oil industry, then is it really reasonable to compare BP’s violations with other companies? ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/107 "2010-06-11T13:05:37Z")
> [@sinical\_brit](#): > > Only one company there is British - the rest are American companies, governed by American laws and paying American taxes. BP North America is a wholly owned subsidiary of BP. It is perfectly reasonable to be talking about BP as the consolidated entity. Funds flow through the various entities. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/108 "2010-06-11T13:10:43Z")
Here’s a timely article. [U.S. Fury at BP Stirs Backlash Among British](http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/u-s-fury-at-bp-stirs-backlash-among-british/) [QUOTE=NYT] Some Britons are irked at President Obama’s seeming determination to refer to the company as “British Petroleum” — even though it jettisoned that name in favor of initials years ago. In any case, they point out, it is truly a multinational company, traded on both the New York and London stock exchanges, with British and American nationals on its board of directors. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/109 "2010-06-11T13:24:43Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > You want to show me this legal definition or court case precendent of “grotesque negligence” that this situation seems to fit so well? No. Why? Is Bricker handing out Deputy badges now? You want to play Junior Bricker in the face of this you just knock yourself out. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/110 "2010-06-11T14:59:26Z")
I went and filled up at a BP station the other day. It really had nothing to do with how much I liked or hated BP. It basically came down to this. While I believe that BP is responsible for the lion’s share of what’s occurred in the Gulf and while I believe that it was their actions that caused this mess, I also believe that, had it been any other oil company in this same situation, the result would have been exactly the same as it is now. BP is neither more evil, nor less evil, than any other oil company in the world. Sure, BP has racked up 700+ safety citations over the past few years and that’s nothing to ignore, but there’s not a single oil company out there who would have done anything differently to stop the oil gushing and contain the oil floating that BP hasn’t already done. . The real problem is with a system that allows undersea drilling at levels where we’re completely incapable of stopping a burst pipe from spewing oil. Our real problem is with a system where the technology to clean up oil spills hasn’t progressed in two decades. So bad luck for BP, sure, but boycotts aren’t going to solve these real problems. ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/111 "2010-06-11T15:08:03Z")
It’s the same as the banks surely i.e. they buy their own level of regulation. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/112 "2010-06-11T15:08:06Z")
> [@tagos](#): > > No. Why? Is Bricker handing out Deputy badges now? You want to play Junior Bricker in the face of this you just knock yourself out. So you say by definition but won’t provide the definition. I’m sure it has nothing to do with you knowing that it isn’t actually by definition. In other words, you lied. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/113 "2010-06-11T15:22:35Z")
> [@LonghornDave](#): > > So you say by definition but won’t provide the definition. I’m sure it has nothing to do with you knowing that it isn’t actually by definition. In other words, you lied. [Do not call other posters liars in this forum.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=448632) And **tagos** , please make your arguments without insults directed at **Longhorn Dave** or **Bricker**. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671/114 "2010-06-11T16:08:20Z")
I never advocated boycotting BP, although I do understand why people would want to. It is all you have to use against them. BP is not just another player. They are the worst . That is what makes them different. Internal memos have surfaced showing the company had divisions arguing that their policies could result in a severe accident. Rig employees were there when BP bosses over ruled Transocean and demanded they do riskier drilling because they were behind schedule. BP had high res movies of the billowing spill that they did not provide to the government departments that could accurately determine the flow rate. They have been in cover up mode since day one. They have lied to anyone they could get away with it. They have not allowed employees involved in the clean up to speak to the press. They tried to keep pictures of oil covered animals from the public. They squirted a dispersant into the oil to make it look less formidable. BP has ignored their own safety rules repeatedly. They are not just another player who had a bad break. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bp-boycott/542671.md?page=5)