In addition to following safety regulations, energy producers also need to avoid violating major legislation. A release from the United States Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Louisiana announced the results of a case involving an energy company working offshore. As the statement noted, Energy Resource Technology GOM, LLC violated multiple regulations between November 2012 and June 2015.
The charges include allowing well bore fluid to enter Gulf of Mexico waters, submitting tampered water samples to cover up excessive pollution, failing blowout preventer guidelines and conducting hot work onboard a platform too close to a well bay.
On this last point, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has advised that fire hazards need to be properly contained during hot work such as welding, with extra personnel present to watch for possible fires. Watchers can carry fire extinguishers with them and get ready to sound an alarm as needed.
Staying compliant with environmental laws may help operators avoid governmental penalties.All together, the charges against ERT represent a total of four felony counts, with two each under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Clean Water Act. In the USAO release, Ted Stanich of the Environmental Protection Agency emphasized the importance of safety in energy exploration.
"It's imperative that energy extraction be done responsibly and in ways that doesn't put human health and the environment at risk," he said. "When oil and gas operators cut corners and break the law, EPA will work with its law enforcement partners to hold them accountable in order to protect human health and the Gulf Coast ecosystem from harm." ERT's sentence includes a $4 million fine, three years of probation and $200,000 in community service payments.
To stay in line with government expectations, offshore oil and gas operations should stay true to their safety plans. Pursuing appropriate insurance may also help businesses account for better practices and remain consistent.