US proposes tighter rules for offshore oil well equipment
President Obama’s administration proposes tighter rules for offshore oil well equipment, five years after the fatal BP Deep Horizon oil field spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The proposal by the US Interior Department calls for tighter standards on blowout preventers, and establishes schedules for maintenance and repair. If adopted, the rules would mandate audits of equipment, and require each device to have a back-up shear to cut a pipe. They also call for real-time monitoring onshore for heat and pressure at the well
News Item details
Journal title: Petroleum Review
Subjects: Primary energy production, Exploration and production, Offshore drilling, Energy policy, Environmental policy
