Tony Hayward disavowed pretty much all knowledge of or responsibility for the decisions that lead to the Deepwater Horizon explosion today, in the face of a grilling from lawmakers. “I was simply not involved in the decision-making process,” he told Henry Waxman at one point, and he refused to comment on any engineering mistakes until BP’s investigation was finished. “We asked you to be prepared to discuss these issues,” complained a frustrated Waxman.
Hayward did defend the well a little, saying there were “many wells” in the Gulf with “the same casing design and the same cementing process,” reports the Guardian. But when pressed by Republican Michael Burgess—who began by stressing he would not be apologizing—on specifics, Hayward said, “With respect, sir, we drill hundreds of wells around the world.” Burgess quipped back, “I know, that’s what’s scaring me.” (More Tony Hayward stories.)