As the gigantic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico moves inexorably towards Florida, the state's lawmakers are making a lot of noises.
Today Senator Bill Nelson said he wants a probe of oil rig safety rules. In a letter written to Mary Kendall, the acting inspector general of the Interior Department, Nelson wrote:
In the wake of the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, questions have arisen over Mineral Management Service (MMS) regulations regarding reliable back-up systems to cap underwater wells.
More specifically, MMS allowed oil rigs not to have audio control devices capable of remotely activating a wellhead’s blowout preventer. At least two other major countries that permit offshore drilling require rigs to carry such devices. Also, newly published accounts indicate regulators didn’t act on other concerns that oil-drilling safety equipment may not function in a deep-water environment.
In light of the recent events, I am asking you to review the process by which MMS reviewed and finalized 30 CFR §250.515 and all other regulations relevant to blowout preventers and well controls. I ask that you determine in your investigation the extent to which the oil and natural gas industry exercised influence in the agency’s rulemaking process.
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2010.