The sixth anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon accident, which claimed the lives of 11 brave men and set off the largest offshore oil spill in our nation’s history, reminds us that we must always be vigilant when it comes to offshore energy development and that our first priority must be the safety of workers, coastal communities and the environment.
Over a year ago, the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) proposed a new rule to tighten standards on offshore well blowout preventers and controls how companies drill and monitor these wells. The oil and gas industry diligently attempted to help BSEE get the rule right, repeatedly voicing concerns about unintended consequences that could lead to less safety and less environmental protection.
