There are innumerable bits of information floating around in the battle over the narrative of this national disaster. This one is particularly disturbing. From AOL’s Daily Finance just over a week before the spill:
“…the days of independence have come to an end for Boots & Coots as the company has agreed to sell out to Halliburton (HAL) for $240.4 million.”
M&A in the industrial and oil services sectors is totally normal, but the timing in this case, is not. Boots & Coots sure seems like the perfect company to own if it would soon become necessary to get more involved with some oil disaster (emphasis mine):
Boots & Coots has two core businesses. First, there is Pressure Control, which involves prevention and risk-control services for oil- and gas-well fires and blowouts. A key to this area was the acquisition of John Wright, which developed sophisticated technologies to measure well integrity.
Next, Boots & Coots has a Well Intervention division, which helps enhance production for oil and gas operators. This business is likely to benefit nicely from the trend toward unconventional resource plays (such as extracting energy from shale). Boots & Coots greatly expanded this division with the acquisitions of Oil States International and StassCo.
Does this strike readers as a coincidence? If so, it’s a pretty lucky one for Halliburton.
More ongoing coverage about the state of the oil spill.
Image credit: wools via Flickr under a CC license
Ha! Now that is a good one. Yes, it's a coincidence.
After a great discussion on Reddit (they do their homework!) I think I'm leaning toward the opinion that it was just a really smart business move by Halliburton. Boots & Coots is apparently the A-team of putting out oil fires and measuring well pressures, and it sounds like BP disregarded Halliburton's actually very responsible safety measures on the Deep Horizon. Knowing that BP was doing this, this acquisition is a cheap hedge on a huge disaster, and ongoing disasters from here on out. Halliburtoners are just really good at what they do.
Yes they most certainly are “really good at what they do.” Scary!
Check out Cheney/Halliburton activities over the last few decades: From the Haitian Network News: http://www.haitianinternet.com/articles.php/646
Hopefully someone is still reading this article, because coincidence is just not happening here.
Ha! Now that is a good one. Yes, it's a coincidence.
After a great discussion on Reddit (they do their homework!) I think I'm leaning toward the opinion that it was just a really smart business move by Halliburton. Boots & Coots is apparently the A-team of putting out oil fires and measuring well pressures, and it sounds like BP disregarded Halliburton's actually very responsible safety measures on the Deep Horizon. Knowing that BP was doing this, this acquisition is a cheap hedge on a huge disaster, and ongoing disasters from here on out. Halliburtoners are just really good at what they do.
well seeing as how they knew that BP was not using the correct amount of centering devices prior to the blowout, it makes sense that some one used their brain and got ahead of the ineveitable curve on that…i see good business at work here.
well seeing as how they knew that BP was not using the correct amount of centering devices prior to the blowout, it makes sense that some one used their brain and got ahead of the ineveitable curve on that…i see good business at work here.
Considering that TransOcean coincidentally registered at the Swiss stock exchange at the day of the spill: yes, definitely a coincidence
Considering that TransOcean coincidentally registered at the Swiss stock exchange at the day of the spill: yes, definitely a coincidence
Sounds pretty tin foil hat to me. Halliburton has a huge potential liability from the current spill.
"tin foil hat". LOL! Wake up. Just because something seems unlikely..or too strange to be true…doesnt mean it isnt. Even if ONE person believes the truth and everybody else in the WORLD believes a lie..it doesnt make the truth any less of the truth…and visa versa. Its either conspiracy…or coincidence, and not too many things in this world happen by "coincidence". Its sad how easily people are dooped. Sad how easily people double think something that is right there in front of there face.
Sounds pretty tin foil hat to me. Halliburton has a huge potential liability from the current spill.
"tin foil hat". LOL! Wake up. Just because something seems unlikely..or too strange to be true…doesnt mean it isnt. Even if ONE person believes the truth and everybody else in the WORLD believes a lie..it doesnt make the truth any less of the truth…and visa versa. Its either conspiracy…or coincidence, and not too many things in this world happen by "coincidence". Its sad how easily people are dooped. Sad how easily people double think something that is right there in front of there face.
Watch the documentaries on Peak Oil on http://www.dam-age.com
Helped me a bunch to understand this whole dilemma
Watch the documentaries on Peak Oil on http://www.dam-age.com
Helped me a bunch to understand this whole dilemma
I don't see anything related to oil spill cleanup here–just prevention. The title of this article strikes me as a bit misleading.
I don't see anything related to oil spill cleanup here–just prevention. The title of this article strikes me as a bit misleading.
It is easy to see that Halliburton and BP were colluding to spill the oil and have BP nearly go bankrupt paying for it all while Halliburton makes a slight profit off the cleanup…
"VigRoco"
Apparently, there is much that you have not read yet.
1. BP won't go bankrupt for this, they won't pay for it, they will have the president put on a big show and demand that BP pay for it (which they will) but not out of their own pockets, BP will take it from BP's workers pensions.
2. Halliburton's motive in this was not just for profit, mostly it involves them wanting the spill to get so bad, that people would urge the government to pass some energy legislation that involves nothing more then taxing people (people, not just companies) for using energy.
I would also like to know why Goldman Sachs dump 44% of BPs stock a week and a half before the spill ???
There are a lot of questions that need answering.
But one thing that I know for sure, is that there is defiantly something sinister going on here, and I fear we have not even seen the worst of it…not even half way
It is easy to see that Halliburton and BP were colluding to spill the oil and have BP nearly go bankrupt paying for it all while Halliburton makes a slight profit off the cleanup…
"VigRoco"
Apparently, there is much that you have not read yet.
1. BP won't go bankrupt for this, they won't pay for it, they will have the president put on a big show and demand that BP pay for it (which they will) but not out of their own pockets, BP will take it from BP's workers pensions.
2. Halliburton's motive in this was not just for profit, mostly it involves them wanting the spill to get so bad, that people would urge the government to pass some energy legislation that involves nothing more then taxing people (people, not just companies) for using energy.
I would also like to know why Goldman Sachs dump 44% of BPs stock a week and a half before the spill ???
There are a lot of questions that need answering.
But one thing that I know for sure, is that there is defiantly something sinister going on here, and I fear we have not even seen the worst of it…not even half way
interesting, but I'm curious about this "sophisticated technologies to measure well integrity" statement…I'd like to see it in use (maybe several months ago).
interesting, but I'm curious about this "sophisticated technologies to measure well integrity" statement…I'd like to see it in use (maybe several months ago).
Oh yes, coincidence. Wink wink nod nod…
Oh yes, coincidence. Wink wink nod nod…
This article is bizarre. Boots & Coots is a medium sized, independent multinational company that specializes in handling blow-outs that usually occur at the drilling head site (above ground). I see absolutely no correlation here. Ridiculous insinuations such as this detract from logical environmental debate.
"The firm, Boots and Coots, focuses on oil spill prevention and blowout response. Now, it is assisting with the relief well work – under contract to BP – to help stop the Gulf oil spill." – is the Christian Science Monitor wrong too? I just posted the article to elicit a conversation, and that it did — I'm much more informed than I was. And have come to believe that it was just a smart business decision, especially since Halliburton knew that BP was disregarding best practices.
Isn't it scary to think that Halliburton may have been the smart and responsible company instead of BP. Definitely is counter to the brand image of both companies.
This article is bizarre. Boots & Coots is a medium sized, independent multinational company that specializes in handling blow-outs that usually occur at the drilling head site (above ground). I see absolutely no correlation here. Ridiculous insinuations such as this detract from logical environmental debate.
"The firm, Boots and Coots, focuses on oil spill prevention and blowout response. Now, it is assisting with the relief well work – under contract to BP – to help stop the Gulf oil spill." – is the Christian Science Monitor wrong too? I just posted the article to elicit a conversation, and that it did — I'm much more informed than I was. And have come to believe that it was just a smart business decision, especially since Halliburton knew that BP was disregarding best practices.
Isn't it scary to think that Halliburton may have been the smart and responsible company instead of BP. Definitely is counter to the brand image of both companies.
Boots and Coots threatened to sue me for quoting the wikipedia article saying Halliburton bought them in a video I put up on youtube.
They threatened to sue you????!!!! How'd they do that??? How did they know you put that in a video? I am seriously extremely curious about this. [email protected] if you will.
yes, they threatened to sue me for "grave damages" occuring from "even one view" of the video I posted to youtube. A representative from a legal firm, claiming to represent B&C, emailed me demanding I remove two videos, one of which included no reference to B&C besides a direct quote from the wikipedia page about their company. I contacted legal counsel, and have removed the videos from youtube.
Why did you remove the videos? Personally, i don’t take to kindly to legal bullying. What was wrong with your lawyer? I work in the legal field and tell you right now you had good standing to counter-sue, I am surprised Wikipedia was not the party sued if that is where your information came from ….????
Really scary!
Boots and Coots threatened to sue me for quoting the wikipedia article saying Halliburton bought them in a video I put up on youtube.
They threatened to sue you????!!!! How'd they do that??? How did they know you put that in a video? I am seriously extremely curious about this. [email protected] if you will.
yes, they threatened to sue me for "grave damages" occuring from "even one view" of the video I posted to youtube. A representative from a legal firm, claiming to represent B&C, emailed me demanding I remove two videos, one of which included no reference to B&C besides a direct quote from the wikipedia page about their company. I contacted legal counsel, and have removed the videos from youtube.
Wasn't Halliburton responsible for the shoddy cement work that led to the blowup? Sure this looks like a great business move on Halliburton's part, but is also a deeply cynical one since clearly they're hands are as dirty in this as BP's, yet Halliburton may actuually be able to profit from this. What a great precedent (not!).
Wasn't Halliburton responsible for the shoddy cement work that led to the blowup? Sure this looks like a great business move on Halliburton's part, but is also a deeply cynical one since clearly they're hands are as dirty in this as BP's, yet Halliburton may actuually be able to profit from this. What a great precedent (not!).
Why do people in this country always assume innocence when it comes to dirty business. If you don't think a corporation like Halliburton is capable of pulling something like this off than you are living in a dream world. I'm a numbers guy and although anything is possible, the likelihood of Halliburton making this purchase eight days before the eruption is is similar to the likelihood of you or I winning the lottery. Either way, having a corporation that runs both the drilling and the cleanup can't be good for anyone but that corp. I'm pretty convinced that most of the comments written here have come from Halliburton employees.
Me thinks you be sound in judgment aside from paranoia,….i b not haliburton
While I do think having a business that owns both the drilling of oil and runs the clean up if these oil spills, I completely disagree with the idea that this is as coincidental as winning the lottery.
There are hundreds of purchases like this every day around the world, so it is far more statistically likely that something like this would happen at some point.
While I take no pleasure in Halliburton breaking out the champagne, they have just been extremely lucky, nothing more. To suggest otherwise is to danerously wander into the world of conspiracy theories and Government cover-ups.
Why do people in this country always assume innocence when it comes to dirty business. If you don't think a corporation like Halliburton is capable of pulling something like this off than you are living in a dream world. I'm a numbers guy and although anything is possible, the likelihood of Halliburton making this purchase eight days before the eruption is is similar to the likelihood of you or I winning the lottery. Either way, having a corporation that runs both the drilling and the cleanup can't be good for anyone but that corp. I'm pretty convinced that most of the comments written here have come from Halliburton employees.
Admin. Now I understand why there are mostly positive comments towards halliburton here. You are deep in their pockets. Having to APPROVE comments…….what a joke you are. In the end it's not going to matter how much you saved, only what you gave. I strongly recommend you start giving back to this planet or I'm afraid there will be no saving your soul.
The comments are open to all points of view. We need to approve comments to weed out the spam and profanity. That's all. I appreciate you taking the time to express your opinions.
Admin. Now I understand why there are mostly positive comments towards halliburton here. You are deep in their pockets. Having to APPROVE comments…….what a joke you are. In the end it's not going to matter how much you saved, only what you gave. I strongly recommend you start giving back to this planet or I'm afraid there will be no saving your soul.
The comments are open to all points of view. We need to approve comments to weed out the spam and profanity. That's all. I appreciate you taking the time to express your opinions.
Please proofread the first sentence of the article.
Please proofread the first sentence of the article.
Sounds like a sound business move – a bit convenient though…
I had read somewhere that they were getting business out of this oil disaster.
Sounds like a sound business move – a bit convenient though…
I had read somewhere that they were getting business out of this oil disaster.
I guess I'm overly emotional about the suspicions that this convenient purchase inspires and I'm surprised at the reactions. Thank you admin. for sharing this info info with all of us and allowing us a place to express our thoughts.
So they have gotten to you too! This is really scary that an organization has gotten so strong that it controls ALL the media even this litter web site!
I guess I'm overly emotional about the suspicions that this convenient purchase inspires and I'm surprised at the reactions. Thank you admin. for sharing this info info with all of us and allowing us a place to express our thoughts.
Halliburton was a contractor for BP and they documented two instances where BP failed to follow SOP to such an extent that the almost certain outcome would be a blow out..
BP refused to take two (about 10 hour each) steps and Halliburton documented both
one was the failure to properly unkink and align the internal hosing connected to the BOP and the second was a refusal to allow Halliburton contractors to verify the cure of the cement that goes around the same hosing inside of the 21" riser… Both of these failures were reckless and negligent on the part of BP.
So, Halliburton's buy of Boots and Coots was based on a special kind of "insider information" and I think that means Halliburton will 1. not be found negligent and 2. make a good profit on this…
Halliburton was a contractor for BP and they documented two instances where BP failed to follow SOP to such an extent that the almost certain outcome would be a blow out..
BP refused to take two (about 10 hour each) steps and Halliburton documented both
one was the failure to properly unkink and align the internal hosing connected to the BOP and the second was a refusal to allow Halliburton contractors to verify the cure of the cement that goes around the same hosing inside of the 21" riser… Both of these failures were reckless and negligent on the part of BP.
So, Halliburton's buy of Boots and Coots was based on a special kind of "insider information" and I think that means Halliburton will 1. not be found negligent and 2. make a good profit on this…
It seems to me that most people commenting about this (or the oil spill in general) having absolutely no idea what they are talking about and are just looking for reasons to hate on Halliburton (mostly because of the hate of dick cheney) and oil companies in general. I guarantee before the spill most people on here did't even know what Halliburton even does and most probably still have no idea but jump on board and try to act like they know what they're talking about. Get over the blame game. Halliburton did not buy a spill clean up company because they knew this spill was coming. Quit drinking the punch.
If thats true than why did BP execs and the CEO sale majority of their stock 13 days before the spill if they all didnt have some forethought that it would happen….What punch are you drinking Chris if you cant see the coincedences and put them all together as being odd than you are just crazy. Halliburton , BP and Transocean the company who owned the oil rig are all lniked together. And how about the dispersent that the Epa told BP to stop using and they didnt?? Who is the company that makes the dispersent? And how are they linked to BP? Do your research and you will see a cover up of mammoth size. Did you know that there was a plan by the Army Corp. of Engineers to depopulate the Gulf Coast……The same Army Corp. of Engineers who was deemed responsible for the Levy break in Hurrican Katrina.Wake up smell the oil and the Cover up!
ah yes, the despersant. and depopulation. Hmmmm how many crabs, sardines, birds, ect have fallen dead in the past week? And from all over the world, Sweeden, Kentucky, Maryland, Louisianna, UK, Iceland, New Zealand,
People what have we done to our ecosystem?
Sorry but the idea that BP Execs knew about the spill 13 days before it happened and decided to make some money off the disaster is really hard to believe. Sure, they may have been able to save some money by dumping or short-selling BP stock, but I believe that both BP’s earnings and stock values were back up to normal levels within a few months of the spill, so longer term there was no big loss to those who held BP stock. Also, these same BP Execs could have made (or saved) way more money for BP (and ultimately for themselves) by simply preventing the spill itself! For one thing, BP would not have had to fork over $20 billion dollars to the US Gov’t to fund all the compensation to those Americans who lost income from the spill. Then there was the multi-billion dollar drilling rig (the Deepwater Horizon) which went to the ocean floor and no doubt has to be paid for in some way by BP (to the rig owner Transocean corp). And at the time of the blow-out there were 4 high-level BP managers on the rig to hand out awards, and one of them was seriously injured in a life-threatening way. Not to mention the deaths of 11 highly trained and experienced workers, with major levels of compensation due to their families. I think that anyone in BP upper mgmt would have chosen to stop the spill (if they had foreknowledge) rather than face all of this damage to their company. At one point, many analysts were saying that this could be the end of BP. Of course it wasn’t, but what exec would want to risk that, over some relatively minor stock trading profits?
It seems to me that most people commenting about this (or the oil spill in general) having absolutely no idea what they are talking about and are just looking for reasons to hate on Halliburton (mostly because of the hate of dick cheney) and oil companies in general. I guarantee before the spill most people on here did't even know what Halliburton even does and most probably still have no idea but jump on board and try to act like they know what they're talking about. Get over the blame game. Halliburton did not buy a spill clean up company because they knew this spill was coming. Quit drinking the punch.
May I remind you guys that it was Haliburton that supplied and installed the emergency shut off valves on this gushing pipeline. Kind of funny how the shut off valves did not work. As for the blame it goes to the US Fed.Govt. Not just any one can go out to the Gulf of Mexico and operate a offshore drilling rigg. . The MMS, a branch of our Dept. of Interior, is responsible for regulating and making sure these companies are operating properly and safely but after an audit in 2008 they found that the MMS had done nothing for over four years except take bribes, waste money, spend their time watching porn on the internet and smoking meth! The MMS knew that this pipeline was unsound since 2004 after hurricane Ivan had damaged it and did nothing about if. This is what happens when you have the most expensive and worthless government in the world. As for Halliburton, they have already bankrupt our country making trillions doing a poor job rebuilding Iraq it would not surpise me if they had some kind of hand in the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico.
Our government can’t compete against this: http://halliburton.thinkloop.com/
You have your facts correct but I take issue with your comment that we have the most expensive and worthless government in the world. That is kinda like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
There simply needs to be more PRESS AND PRESSURE on these ‘agencies’ like MMS..I bet most people don’t even know what they are. As far as Halliburton is concerned, you can thank your good ol’ George Dubeaux and Chaney for that mess.
May I remind you guys that it was Haliburton that supplied and installed the emergency shut off valves on this gushing pipeline. Kind of funny how the shut off valves did not work. As for the blame it goes to the US Fed.Govt. Not just any one can go out to the Gulf of Mexico and operate a offshore drilling rigg. . The MMS, a branch of our Dept. of Interior, is responsible for regulating and making sure these companies are operating properly and safely but after an audit in 2008 they found that the MMS had done nothing for over four years except take bribes, waste money, spend their time watching porn on the internet and smoking meth! The MMS knew that this pipeline was unsound since 2004 after hurricane Ivan had damaged it and did nothing about if. This is what happens when you have the most expensive and worthless government in the world. As for Halliburton, they have already bankrupt our country making trillions doing a poor job rebuilding Iraq it would not surpise me if they had some kind of hand in the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico.
I do not think that you are correct, have you in fact considered the information?
I do not think that you are correct, have you in fact considered the information?
The CEO of BP didn’t need to cause a disaster to make money on his stock sale. Lots of conspiracy nonsense. No intelligent person believes any of it, and that’s why Jess Ventura, and many posters, believe it.
Really?
My word… You guys are complete morons…
I’ve come lately to this discussion but the question I have is do we skip the formality and make out our income tax checks directly to Cheney or is the traditional method still in operation?
Your own article does not state or claim B&C is an oil clean up company only your unsupported headline.
Do a little research. Halliburton made an offer to shareholders on 12 April. It was not until 17 Sept that enough agreed to accept giving control to Halliburton. So Halliburton did not own or control B&C until then. FWIW B&C did NO work on the BP/ DWH diaster, not in clean up or well control
Your own article does not state or claim B&C is an oil clean up conpany only your unsupported headline.
Do a little research. Halliburton made an offer to shareholders on 12 April. It was not until 17 Sept that enough agreed to accept giving control to Halliburton. So Halliburton did not own or control B&C until then. FWIW B&C did NO work on the BP/ DWH diaster, not in clean up or well control