WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has announced new rules requiring that offshore drilling rigs certify that they have working blowout preventers and standards for cementing wells.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Thursday that the new rules will improve safety and reduce the chance of catastrophic blowouts such as the massive BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He said the rules also should improve workplace safety by reducing the risk of human error.
Salazar has said new rules must be in place before the Interior Department lifts a ban on deepwater drilling. The ban is set to expire Nov. 30, but officials have said they hope to end it early.