Feds push stricter rules for offshore oil and gas production systems
Posted on August 21, 2013 at 8:53 am by Jennifer A. Dlouhy
The Obama administration on Wednesday proposed a rule to tighten standards for oil and gas production systems used offshore, in a bid to keep pace with the industry’s march into deeper waters and more challenging terrain.
The 149-page proposal also would require more rigorous assessments of critical safety and pollution prevention equipment, such as foam firefighting systems and electronic emergency shutdown devices.
The measure has been in the works for years, as offshore regulators sought to update rules that haven’t been significantly revised since they were first published in 1988.
“Since that time, much of the oil and gas production on the outer continental shelf has moved into deeper waters, and the regulations have not kept pace with the technological advancements,” the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said in the proposal...
