Security in the offshore oil industry: EU Commissioner Öttinger meets with national regulators

EU Energy Commissioner Günther Öttinger will meet tonight for talks with representatives from the national regulatory authorities of those EU member states that are responsible for security issues involving the offshore oil industry. 

On the occasion of these talks, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Rainer Brüderle stated: "I explicitly welcome the fact that Commissioner Oettinger is personally and decisively addressing this issue at the European level. We must do our utmost worldwide to ensure that catastrophes like the Gulf of Mexico oil spill cannot be repeated. The causes must be identified in their entirety, and security regulations must be comprehensively reviewed." 

With just two smaller offshore extraction facilities at a depth of less than 60 metres, Germany's offshore activity is far more circumscribed than the offshore oil extraction conducted by such countries as Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In Germany's view, it is precisely because of this unequal distribution of offshore resources - and their associated risks - that procedures urgently need to be coordinated at the European level.

Background:

In response to the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Commissioner Oettinger plans to introduce stronger controls of offshore oil industries in the EU and to establish higher security standards for this purpose. As an immediate measure, he has proposed a moratorium on new drilling activity involving extreme conditions and parameters that would apply until the causes of the Gulf spill are clarified. Further steps under consideration include stricter authorisation procedures involving improved EU-wide security standards, emergency plans and liability rules. Possible steps will be discussed in greater detail at today's high-level meeting, with specific proposals to be submitted after the summer break.