The Biden administration on Sept. 12 proposed offshore drilling safety measures that it said would help prevent oil spills and protect workers and the environment.
The proposal aims to restore safety provisions put in place by the Obama administration in 2016 following the fatal 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill, the worst in United States history.
The Trump administration had revised the rules in 2019 to reduce what the oil and gas industry said was a financial burden.
The Interior Department, which oversees the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), said the changes would incorporate the latest industry technology improvements.
"As our nation transitions to a clean energy economy, we will continue strengthening and modernizing offshore energy standards and oversight," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said on a call with reporters. "We will continue to put the lives and livelihoods of workers first, as well as the protection of our waters and marine habitat."
The rule revisions would tighten technical requirements of blowout prevention systems and mandate speedier failure investigations. They also require companies to submit failure data directly to BSEE rather than to third parties.
The proposal is open to public comment until Nov. 14.
Oil industry trade group the National Ocean Industries Association said it would review the proposal and work with federal regulators to ensure that the changes increase safety.
Environmental group Oceana reacted to the proposal by calling for the end to offshore drilling.
"While the new safety measures being proposed are a step in the right direction, no operator can promise there wont' be another disaster like BP's Deepwater Horizon blowout," Oceana campaign director Diane Hoskins said in an emailed statement.
The BP Macondo well blowout and fire on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig on April 20, 2010, killed 11 workers and cost billions of dollars for Gulf Coast restoration.
Recommended Reading
US Drillers Add Oil, Gas Rigs for First Time in Five Weeks
2024-04-19 - The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose by two to 619 in the week to April 19.
Strike Energy Updates 3D Seismic Acquisition in Perth Basin
2024-04-19 - Strike Energy completed its 3D seismic acquisition of Ocean Hill on schedule and under budget, the company said.
Santos’ Pikka Phase 1 in Alaska to Deliver First Oil by 2026
2024-04-18 - Australia's Santos expects first oil to flow from the 80,000 bbl/d Pikka Phase 1 project in Alaska by 2026, diversifying Santos' portfolio and reducing geographic concentration risk.
Iraq to Seek Bids for Oil, Gas Contracts April 27
2024-04-18 - Iraq will auction 30 new oil and gas projects in two licensing rounds distributed across the country.
Vår Energi Hits Oil with Ringhorne North
2024-04-17 - Vår Energi’s North Sea discovery de-risks drilling prospects in the area and could be tied back to Balder area infrastructure.