HOUSTON – Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Director Scott Angelle emphasized the importance of safe and environmentally sustainable energy production during meetings in Texas this week with Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operators, industry experts, stakeholders, government partners and BSEE engineers and inspectors.
On Tuesday, Angelle participated in an emergency response exercise in Houston that tested offshore oil and gas operators’ ability to respond to a subsea loss of well control. The drill, led by W&T Offshore in coordination with HWCG LLC, brought together experts from multiple oil and gas operators and government agencies like BSEE, the United States Coast Guard and regional response teams from Gulf Coast states.
Angelle spoke Wednesday to 150 offshore oil and gas industry members attending the Society of Petroleum Engineers Subsea Well Intervention Symposium in Galveston.
“America can do it all – safe, environmentally sustainable, and robust energy production,” said Angelle. “BSEE continually works to ensure exploration and production remain safe and are environmentally sustainable, this is critical as industry innovates to produce more oil and gas than ever before in the Gulf of Mexico.”
While in Houston, Angelle also met with stakeholders, including offshore drilling contractors and operators, discussing the safety improvement initiatives underway at BSEE. A risk-based inspection protocol and increased physical inspection time offshore are two initiatives underway since March 2018. Angelle also visited with BSEE engineers and inspectors at its Lake Jackson District in Angleton, Texas.
“BSEE is using data analysis and technology to bring a strong and smart approach to ensuring safe and environmentally sustainable oil and gas operations offshore,” said Angelle.
In 2017, BSEE inspectors conducted 17,661 inspections throughout the Gulf of Mexico on oil and gas production facilities and drilling rigs. Oil production from the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf totaled 621,223,717 barrels in 2017, 99% of this production came from the Gulf of Mexico.
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