U.S. government considers easing offshore drilling safety regulations
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Last week, the United States Interior Department proposed eliminating safety regulations for offshore oil and gas drilling that the Obama administration put in place after BP’s massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill, according to Reuters. The idea is that the move would reduce “unnecessary burdens” on the industry.
One of the safety provisions the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement plans to remove is a requirement for operators to get a third party to certify that safety devices work under extreme conditions. The proposal would also revise some oil production safety system design requirements.
Environmental groups are concerned that easing the proposed offshore drilling regulations may put the U.S. at risk of another major offshore spill. Meanwhile, the BSEE said its initiatives are in line with the Trump’s administration’s goal of “encouraging increased domestic oil and gas production by removing regulatory hurdles.”
Learn more: Reuters > U.S. government proposes easing offshore oil drilling safety regulations
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.