By Janie Amaya
Michael Bromwich, the Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, told a Senate panel Tuesday that the U.S. intends to take a close look at Spanish oil company Repsol’s new plans to drill a well off Cuba’s coast.
“We, together with the Coast Guard at Repsol’s invitation, plan to conduct an inspection of this rig,” Bromwich said during a hearing with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. “It’s a brand new semisubmersable rig, very advance, very modern; And we’re aware of all the characteristics the rig has and all the characteristics of the blowout preventer.”
Committee Chairmen Sen. Jeff Bingaman (R-N.M.) said he was concerned over whether the U.S. has the capabilities and resources to respond in the event of an oil spill in Cuban waters.
Bromwich responded that in the event of an oil spill, BSEE holds no authority to take immediate action, but ensured that the U.S. government is taking steps to make resources available to respond to a spill. Other precautions, Bromwich explained, include promoting drilling safety communication with Repsol by encouraging compliance with U.S. safety and environmental standards, as well as with U.S. regulatory counterparts in the Gulf region.