Review of Deepwater Horizon (2016) by Patrick B — 19 Oct 2016

It would have been helpful to audience understanding if somewhere in the film it was explained how the speed (RPM) of diesel generators ran away, resulting in their overspeed destruction. It was shown but not explained that the generators aspirated methane gas released in the blowout, and unlike gasoline engines that can be shut down by turning off the spark plugs, the only way to shut down a diesel engine that is aspirating fuel with its intake air is provision for an emergency throttle to cut off that intake air. Failing to provide provisions for shutting off intake air in an overspeed condition is especially unforgivable in the case of generators, since generators run at a constant speed and an overspeed condition is easily detected.

All the blame is this film is placed on BP, but BP didn't own the platform, and wasn't responsible for omitting emergency overspeed shutdown capability in the diesel generator design.