"Federal regulators on Wednesday issued a final set of standards meant to boost the design, cementing and safety of offshore wells in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster two years ago."
"The final drilling safety rule tweaks existing mandates that were imposed in October 2010 in response to the lethal blowout of BP’s Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico.
It also responds to industry concerns that the first version — imposed on an emergency basis after the spill — was muddled and riddled with conflicting requirements.
James Watson, the head of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement that wrote the new standards, said the final measure was refined 'based on input from stakeholders' as well as investigations into the Deepwater Horizon disaster."
Jennifer A. Dlouhy reports for FuelFix August 15, 2012.
