One of the main goals of public relations is to bridge the gap between the needs of the public and the needs of a business or organization. Knowing that the very idea of ​​drilling on the continental shelf was a hot topic, BP should have approached this venture with diligence. The findings of the National Commission's report into the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and offshore drilling could prove damaging to the company's image as it reveals step by step the mistakes and agenda of the company's management. the company. Halliburton and BP chose to use a form of cement known as "nitrogen foam cement" to address the instability they faced when placing the pump on the fragile Macondo formation. They ignored tests that showed the cement would fail in the field. They abandoned the project by removing its riser and blowout preventer for the wellhead. During this process, there were several errors and issues that, if properly monitored, could have been avoided. This includes a pressure test that evaluates, among other things, the ability of the well casing to maintain pressure. They replaced the mud with sea water below the mud line with sea water. BP should have been more open in its understanding of industry practices and technology. They should have recognized their lack of preparation and poor cementing of the drilling site. They knew the government depended on them for information and it appears they took advantage of this to avoid blame. They should have made all their resources available to the government from day one to accelerate the cleanup efforts. With inspectors who didn't really have the same drilling knowledge as the industry they were trying to regulate, they were free to change procedures and processes within themselves...... middle of paper ......to self-regulate. They should raise their own standards and spend part of their profits trying to repair the damage done in the Gulf. We should see them trying to clean up the gulf. They should also donate a portion of their profits to developing new technology that will help clean up spills of this nature. They should in the future be open in their business practices and become a responsible partner in environmental efforts. They should avoid areas with volatile environments that are not conducive to safe drilling until they develop the technology to do so safely. Works CitedMulkern, Anne C. June 10, 2010. BP's PR mistakes mirror those of Exxon, seem destined for the record books. New York Times. Accessed February 25, 2011, from http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/06/10/10greenwire-bps-pr-blunders-mirror-exxons-looking-destined-98819.html?pagewanted=1.