A year ago, US President Donald Trump instructed the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to reconsider the "well control rule," which was spurred by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and was finalized in 2016. The BSEE has proposed leaving much of the rule intact, but removing some real-time monitoring obligations, allowing more flexibility related to safety equipment, and removing a mandate that production be halted when supply boats are near platforms. The Bureau did not remove or revise "safe drilling margins," as some industry representatives wanted. The margins prescribe pressure minimums in wells. Testing and certification obligations were also kept for blowout preventers. The proposal is estimated to save $946MM over a 10-year period, but BSEE Director Scott Angelle believes it will not weaken environmental or safety protections. Not surprisingly, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups disagree.
展开▼
