Thanks Hunter, there is already information coming to light about just how many corners were cut, and this done with the knowledge of how big a risk they were taking.
I also remember how popular the decision to allow deep sea drilling was, with both the US government and the American people, at the time that this project was proposed. The American people obviously were unaware of how risky this venture was, but the government and the companies involved were well aware, and decided that the risk was worth the possible monetary gain.
There is also the extreme lack of data concerning this particular oil and gas reserve.