Oil Spill News
07/17/2019
Offshore Energy and a Strategic Vision for U.S. Security
Legislation in Congress that could cripple future U.S. offshore energy development needs to be seen for the longer-term damage it could do to America’s strategic energy and national security.
One House bill would permanently extend a moratorium on development in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico; another would permanently bar leasing in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Given projected growth in America’s energy needs, such shortsighted legislation fails the test of leadership in setting energy policy that will enhance and protect our nation’s strategic interests.
Read More here
06/13/2019
Bipartisan Land and Water Conservation Fund Protects Public Lands, Relies on Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Revenues
WASHINGTON, June 12, 2019 – Today, API released the following statement as a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced legislation to guarantee $900 million in annual funding to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) which helps protect and conserve public lands and improve outdoor recreation opportunities.
Read More here
06/06/2019
Celebrating National Ocean Month
Following past White House precedent, President Trump recently designated June 2019 as National Ocean Month in recognition of the ocean’s role in supporting the U.S. economy, national security and environment, while recommitting to safeguard its vital resources.
The U.S. offshore energy industry wholeheartedly supports the sentiments in the president’s proclamation and demonstrates this day in and day out.
Read More here
05/07/2019
Youth, Brainpower and Meeting Energy’s Challenges
Four students from The Village School in Houston are winners of the Offshore Technology Conference’s high school competition, the OTC Energy Challenge, which focuses students on working on real-world issues.
They represent the next generation of women and men who no doubt will be at the forefront of meeting future challenges associated with the production and use of energy.
Read More here
05/02/2019
Well Control Rule Enhances Safe Offshore Operations
The oil and natural gas industry is heavily invested in offshore safety – technology, standards, training and safety management – and works closely with the U.S. Department of the Interior in support of numerous new rules, regulatory enhancements, standards and safety programs. The result of these efforts is demonstrated through tangible steps by the industry, including the Center for Offshore Safety, the Marine Well Containment Company, HWCG, and new API standards on well containment and blowout prevention equipment. New regulations and best practices have also evolved around the U.S. Department of the Interior’s drilling safety rule, safety and environmental management systems rules, and risk-based inspection program.
Read More here
04/30/2019
Revised Well Control Rule Critical to Meet Offshore Challenges
Soon the federal government is expected to release its updated offshore well control rule, one that improves on its 2016 predecessor by providing flexibility to meet specific challenges across a variety of offshore conditions while encouraging innovation and technologies that help improve safety.
We expect that opponents of natural gas and oil development anywhere to attack the updated rule when it’s released. Yet, fact and logic will weigh heavily against them.
Read More here
04/17/2019
Offshore Energy: 10 Key Ways Operations Have Been Strengthened
With the Trump administration nearing release of a new five-year offshore leasing plan for oil and natural gas, offshore energy has never been safer or stronger – thanks to initiatives and technologies designed to enhance worker safety and protect the environment. (See this post dispelling offshore energy myths.) Below, 10 important developments that have strengthened the vitally important work of harnessing America’s offshore energy.
1. Center for Offshore Safety
The Center for Offshore Safety (COS) is an industry-led initiative to promote continuous safety improvement for offshore drilling, completions and operations through effective leadership, communication, teamwork, disciplined management systems and independent third-party auditing and certification.
Read More here
03/12/2019
Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Exploration Strengthens Land and Water Conservation Fund
API recently released studies showing that increasing access to the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) could generate billions in industry spending and federal revenue streams that could be shared with Florida and numerous states along America’s coasts. In fact, this is already happening under GOMESA through offshore-supported LWCF grants across the country and general revenue-sharing agreements that the federal government already has with the other four Gulf Coast states. In 2018 alone, LWCF received $893 million that was disbursed among the states.
Read More here
03/07/2019
Safe or Safer Offshore Regulatory Compliance, Part 2
In this post last week we explained how alternative measures, approved by federal officials, may be used to comply with the 2016 well control rule, as well as all regulatory requirements associated with offshore oil and natural gas development. …
Now the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is chiming in – not surprising, since the agency’s integrity was besmirched. In a letter to members of Congress this week, Lars Herbst, BSEE’s Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf regional director, called the regulatory provision for alternative procedures or equipment “long-standing,” having been granted by the previous administration as well as the current one. Herbst writes that “zero” waivers have been granted by BSEE regarding the well control rule.
Read More here