Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

Senate Panel Sees Need for Tougher Offshore Well Control Rules

Oil and Gas Journal (online subscription required): US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee members generally agreed that tougher federal offshore oil and gas well control regulations should be adopted soon, but disagreed over whether the Obama administration's proposed regulations go too far or not far enough. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said testimony from American Petroleum Institute officials expressing confidence in industry's ability to handle potential problems prior to the 2010 Macondo deepwater oil well blowout and resulting 5-million bbl spill made her skeptical of similar industry assurances now. Warren suggested that oil and gas producers should not be allowed to expand onto the US Outer Continental Shelf off the Mid-At...

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