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Unfortunately, ABS inspectors did not record which devices were tested each
year, which meant that there was no way to ensure that different over‐speed
devices were subject to inspection each year and that each device over time had
been inspected.
305
The Deepwater Horizon, as discussed earlier in this Report, was a vessel
flagged under the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Foreign‐flagged vessels are
subject to USCG “Certificate of Compliance” inspections. These inspections do
not normally include testing of over‐speed devices unless there is some evidence
to indicate that they might not function properly. One of the USCG inspectors

who conducted the inspection of the Deepwater Horizon stated that the engine
rooms and all machinery contained therein appeared to be well‐maintained. The
inspector did not deem it necessary to test the rig’s over‐speed devices because:
(1) as a foreign‐flagged vessel, inspection is not required; and (2) conducting any
test of the over‐speed device could not be done without interrupting drilling
operations.

3. Evidence Relating to the Engine Rooms as a Potential Ignition
Source

Engines number 3 and number 6 were online at the time of the blowout.
The air intakes for engine room 3 were located approximately 60 feet from the rig
floor in the center of the main deck.

Personnel on the Deepwater Horizon testified about what they saw and
heard on April 20 in the immediate vicinity of the engine rooms. Douglas
Brown, the chief mechanic on the Deepwater Horizon, who was in the engine
control room at the time of the blowout, testified:

And right upon that the engines RPM started increasing. I heard
them revving up higher and higher and higher. Next I was
expecting the engine trips to take over, such as the overspeed,
and that did not happen. After that the power went out and I

was assuming that was our high‐frequency trip and we were put
in dark, and right on the end of that was the first explosion.

* * *

305 Testimony of Arinjit Ray, Joint Investigation Hearing, May 26, 2010, at 297.

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