By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 18 -- A UK group examining oil spill prevention and response has identified technical areas for review in the wake of the Gulf of Mexico deepwater blowout and spill.
The technical review group of the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Advisory Group (OSPRAG) identified these areas for review:
• Subsea containment equipment and systems.
• Competency and standards for key onshore and offshore leaders.
• An inventory of blowout preventers and remotely operated vehicles currently employed in the UK Continental Shelf, including function testing, operating capabilities, modifications, and secondary control system requirements.
• The well examination process.
• The verification process.
• An inventory of all wells and their flowing status.
The industry group Oil & Gas UK created OSPRAG in response to the Apr. 20 blowout and explosion of BP’s Macondo well, which killed 11 workers aboard Transocean Ltd.’s Deepwater Horizon semisubmersible (OGJ, June 7, 2010, p. 39).
Other OSPRAG work groups will study oil spill response capability and remediation, insurance, and pan-North Sea response issues.
US Government Accountability Office.
