Deepwater Horizon

Contractor: BP Pumped Unusual Chemicals Into Well Before Explosion

Rachel Slajda | July 20, 2010, 10:14AM

An explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig

A contractor working on the Deepwater Horizon when it exploded testified yesterday that the day before the explosion, BP had pumped an unusual chemical mixture into the well -- a mixture that later rained down on the rig like "snot."

Leo Lindner, a drilling fluid specialist for M-I Swaco, told the panel investigating the causes of the explosion that BP decided to mix two chemicals the company had a surplus of -- two chemicals that aren't usually mixed -- and pump them into the well to flush out the drilling mud.

"It's not something we've ever done before," he said.

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