Offshore Drilling Safety – New York Times

Photo BPs Deepwater Horizon drill rig exploding in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Credit Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

To the Editor:

Re Trumps Risky Offshore Oil Strategy, by Bob Graham and William K. Reilly (Op-Ed, July 5):

As co-chairmen of the National Oil Spill Commission, Mr. Graham and Mr. Reilly concluded in 2014 that offshore drilling is safer than it was at the time of the Gulf of Mexico incident in 2010. Its even truer today because of technological innovation, stringent new safety standards and strong coordination between federal and state governments and industry.

A top-to-bottom review by federal regulators and operators resulted in more than 100 new or revised standards for well design, blowout prevention equipment and other elements of offshore safety.

Advanced systems to cap wells at the ocean floor are in the Gulf of Mexico as a safety precaution, and independent third-party auditors and government regulators evaluate progress and update operational practices through the Center for Offshore Safety, created in 2011.

Effective safeguards are in place so Americas abundant offshore resources can be retrieved safely. Our industry works toward responsible development and a goal of zero incidents.

JACK GERARD, WASHINGTON

The writer is president and chief executive of the American Petroleum Institute.

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Offshore Drilling Safety - New York Times