(L-R) Deputy Secretary David Hayes, Director Jim Watson, Secretary Ken Salazar and DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Smith discuss offshore energy issues at a press conference during today's BOP forum.
May 22, 2012- BSEE Director Jim Watson hosted an offshore energy safety forum that brought together federal decision-makers, industry, academia, and other stakeholders to discuss additional steps that BSEE and the industry can take to continue to improve the reliability and safety of blowout preventers (BOPs). During the forum, five separate panels discussed BOP monitoring, technology, testing and training, providing experts and federal decision makers the opportunity for free and open dialogue.
Secretary Salazar kicked off the forum by highlighting the extensive safety reforms taken by the Obama Administration since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and outlining a series of commonsense priorities for future BOP standards – including up-to-date requirements for shearing, maintenance, sensors and training. BSEE's actions over the past two years have already improved the testing and certification requirements for blowout preventers.
Please check back for video, photos, and transcripts from the forum. The forum was also streamed live over the internet on May 22, 2012 between 8-4 EDT.