Oil accidents in the North Sea stifle

The EU has the strictest safety regulations. But we must do more to
prevent disasters such as in South America
When it came last year when the petroleum hole to blow out on the oil
rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico, eleven people lost
their lives, and it flowed four million barrels of petroleum into the
sea. The world was shocked by the extent of the accident and still
more on how long it took to bring the situation under control. This
has undermined confidence in the offshore petroleum and gas industry.
This raises the question of what would happen in a similar incident in
EU waters.

The offshore energy plays in security of supply and competitiveness in
Europe a crucial role. About 90 percent of the petroleum produced in
the EU and 60 percent of electricity produced in the EU natural gas
are extracted from the seabed. In European waters are nearly 1,000
petroleum and gas plants in operation. In the North Sea are subject to
drilling the world's most stringent safety regulations, but in other
areas for improvement. Currently do operate in only 13 Member States,
offshore activities, accidents do not know, but stop at national
borders. For this reason, the European Commission has decided to
propose strict new safety rules that would be binding throughout the
EU. Their compliance should be monitored by independent experts.
It starts with the permit.
It must be guaranteed that the Member States shall only companies with
sufficient expertise and financial strength of the permit.
The new safety standards require offshore companies from a risk
assessment and emergency plan. These plans and any subsequent changes
must be audited by independent experts, national authorities give the
green light. In addition, inspectors will carry out regular checks on
drilling platforms. For violations, the company may be prohibited
immediately, weiterzubohren. The inspection results will be published
so that citizens can learn about it.
In addition to accident prevention is ensured by the new rules that
will respond to accidents quickly and carefully. The company, which
carries out the hole, must have equipment on site, which can be used
immediately.
It must also be taken to ensure that the environment and the
livelihoods of local communities will not be compromised if the
operator of the accident no longer in control. This requires national
emergency resources to be operational. There are also the means and
the expertise of neighboring Member States and the European Maritime
Safety Agency for the disposal to limit damage, if not sufficient
national capacity. To further enhance the effect, the European
Commission proposes to extend the environmental liability from 22 to
370 miles off the coast, which would include all plants.
Ultimately it is in everyone's interest that the offshore security is
guaranteed. Therefore, the Commission will work with its international
partners to promote the enforcement of the world's strictest safety
standards. By EU companies should be expected to apply the EU security
standards and always in activities outside the European Union.
All measures shall not prevent the EU member states from applying
stricter rules. It must be guaranteed, however, that each operator
within the EU complies with this high level of safety. This can best
be controlled by national authorities. But we must also ensure that
these rules are applied everywhere.