I'm no fan of the MIC, but before we jump on TO, it may be well to remember that it was the BP Company Man who overrode the TO Tool Pusher on the DH and decided it was OK to displace the drill string and hope water (instead of heavier drilling mud or cement) was sufficient to hold back the downhole pressures.
Seems barium-weighted drilling mud is expensive, and they were already behind schedule because the hole had been kicking all the way down.