
It had been under contract to BP in the Gulf of Mexico for approximately 9 years. The Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater, semi-submersible drilling rig.

The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig was owned by Transocean, on hire to BP, in order to drill the Macondo field, estimated to contain over 50 million barrels of oil, two and a half miles below the seabed.

As they spoke to the offshore team and observed them preparing to cap off the well before moving to a new drilling site, danger was building up deep below. Their agenda included discussing occupational health and safety with the workforce and to congratulate the crew for a 7-year record with no Lost Time Injuries (LTIs). On 20 April 2010, several Transocean and BP executives arrived on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which had drilled a well in the Macondo field.
