NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Latest on the trial of a Deepwater Horizon supervisor on a misdemeanor pollution charge (all times local):
12:15 p.m.
The Deepwater Horizon supervisor who pleaded guilty to a pollution charge in connection with the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill says the colleague now fighting that charge never gave him information that prosecutors say was critical.
During the second day of Robert Kaluza’s trial, Donald Vidrine testified about a test meant to show whether synthetic “drilling mud” below the ocean floor was heavy enough to stand up to the pressure of oil and gas below it.
He said Kaluza never told him some specific information that would have indicated to him that the test should be re-done. Vidrine also said Kaluza never said he was worried that the test might have failed or have been incomplete.
The rig exploded in April 2010, sparking a huge oil spill that caused economic and ecological devastation along the Gulf of Mexico coast.
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3 a.m.
Testimony is to continue in the trial of a supervisor accused of ignoring danger signs hours before the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April 2010, eventually spewing more than 100 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Robert Kaluza was day supervisor on the rig for energy giant BP PLC. Likely prosecution witnesses include night supervisor Donald Vidrine, who pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge on which Kaluza is being tried: violating the Clean Water Act.
Prosecutor Jennifer Saulino said in an opening statement Tuesday that there were several reasons the well blew, but Kaluza was partly responsible.
Defense attorney Shaun Clarke said Kaluza stopped work on the well before his shift ended and was off duty, leaving the decision of what happened next to Vidrine.
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This story corrects “equipment” to “drilling mud” and other details of the test in first entry.
