marketing
Running Head: BP MACONDO WELL CASE REPORT
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Boston University
MET AD 642 Project Management
2018 Summer Term 1
Assignment 2
BP Macondo Well Case Report
Louis Degrandpre
Running Head: BP MACONDO WELL CASE REPORT
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Summary of Issues ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Alternative Solutions ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Alternative Solution Pros and Cons .................................................................................................................. 5
Alternative Solution Matrix ................................................................................................................................. 6
Alternative Solution Ranking .............................................................................................................................. 6
Recommendations................................................................................................................................................... 6
References ................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Running Head: BP MACONDO WELL CASE REPORT
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Executive Summary
The BP oil spill that occurred in 2010 caused extensive damage to the environment and
the company’s reputation. The events leading up to the Deepwater Horizon disaster can be
attributed to the poor management of the project. There are significant issues within the plan that
should have been addressed to avoid a disaster of this magnitude. Issues include [the student
goes on to briefly list the three top issues in this section of text that I have replaced so that your
own original ideas go here] This paper addresses potential solutions to these issues and weighs
the pros and cons of each solution.
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Introduction
In 2010, the BP oil spill and Deepwater Horizon disaster caused significant damage to the
Gulf of Mexico and its ecosystem. There were many issues and discrepancies within the project
that cumulatively led up to the disaster. Projects never fail from only one reason. They fail due to
multiple reasons that often appear to intermingle. (Cerpa & Verner) In this paper we will be
discussing three major project issues that have been identified within the “BP and the Deepwater
Horizon Disaster of 2010” that led up to the explosion and oil spill. Solutions and their pros and
cons will then be introduced along with recommendations of how the disaster could have been
avoided.
Summary of Issues
Issue 1
The student spent about three paragraphs describing Issue 1.
Issue 2
[The student went on to describe the second issue in about 3 short paragraphs.]
Issue 3
Lastly, the third issue with the project is [The student went on to detail the third issue in a
couple of short paragraphs, including inline references]
As mentioned previously, project management requires careful strategies and techniques
to address all competing priorities. The fact is, an experienced manager will be able to juggle
competing priorities within a project and meet or surpass customer expectations. Project
managers must commit significant time to ensure productivity. (Kress, 1994) Project
management oversight is needed to secure favorable outcomes for the project and the company.
Running Head: BP MACONDO WELL CASE REPORT
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(Baram, 2003) Without proper oversight and seasoned project managers, the risk of failure can
increase, especially for large or already risky projects.
Alternative Solutions
Issue#-Solution# Solution
1-1 The student inserted a very brief (1 sentence) description of the first solution
to Issue 1.
1-2 The student inserted a very brief (1 sentence) description of the second
solution to Issue 1.
2-1 The student inserted a very brief (1 sentence) description of the first solution
to Issue 2.
2-2 The student inserted a very brief (1 sentence) description of the first solution
to Issue 2.
3-1 The student inserted a very brief (1 sentence) description of the first solution
to Issue 3.
3-2 The student inserted a very brief (1 sentence) description of the second
solution to Issue 3.
Alternative Solution Pros and Cons
Solution Pros Cons
1-1 – Value
Scope
By consolidating the company
values and incorporating safety,
they will be easier to understand
and follow.
The company will be more
unified in what their goals and
objectives are.
It will likely be a large project
that will take workers away from
their existing tasks.
May cost money to hire a
consultant.
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IN THIS SPOT THE STUDENT PUT THE PROS AND CONS MATRIX
Alternative Solution Matrix
This student added an optional Alternative Solution Ranking – very nice
Alternative Solution Ranking
Solution Likelihood of
Success
Difficulty
Implementing
Solution Score Solution Rank
1-2 – xxxxxx 5 5 20 1
3-2 – xxxxxx 4 4 16
3-1 – xxxxxx 4 3 12 3
2-2 – xxxxxx 3 3 9 4
2-1 – xxxxxx 3 2 6 5
1-1 – xxxxxx 2 1 2 6
Recommendations
From the information from the Alternative Solution Matrix, we can see that the solutions
with the highest likelihood of success are also the most difficult to implement. However, the
outcome of the solutions will be worth the time, money, and effort invested if it will provide
viable change within the organization and prevent another disaster. Another future disaster can
cause exceedingly large monetary losses and irreparable damage to the company’s reputation.
Based on this, the solutions are recommended to the company based on the ranking reflected on
the in the Alternative Solution Ranking. The investment into the top three solutions of xxxxx,
xxxxxx, and xxxxx will build a strong foundation for BP and lead to better decisions being made
Running Head: BP MACONDO WELL CASE REPORT
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about risk management and safety throughout the entire organization. This focus will reduce and
mitigate future disasters and will help BP rebuild their company reputation.
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References
Baram, G. (2003). Project management oversight: An effective risk management tool. AACE
International Transactions, RI31-RI035.
Cerpa, N. & Verner, J. (2009). Why did your project fail? Communications of the ACM, 52(12),
130-134.
Ingersoll, C., Locke, R. M., Cate, R. (2012). BP and the Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010
[Case Study]. MIT Sloan Management.
Fellague, M. & Bennafla, K. (2015). Organizational culture and the implementation of total
quality management in Sonatrach (Medgaz project as case study). Indian Journal of
Management Science, 5(1), pp.1-11.
Flyvbjerg, B. (2013). Quality control and due diligence in project management: Getting
decisions right by taking the outside view. International Journal Of Project Management,
31(5), 760-774.
Hofstede, G. (1998). Think locally, act globally; Cultural constraints in personnel management.
Management International Review, 38, 7-26.
Kress, R. (1994). Quality project management: Key success factor to exceeding buyer values.
Industrial Management, 36(6), 22.
McCabe, D. (2002). 'Waiting for dead men's shoes': Towards a cultural understanding of
management innovation. Human Relations, 55(5), 505-536.