The Hill News

Since the tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico nearly one year ago, several investigations have been launched, many changes have been made to the regulatory structure for the industry, and numerous industry actions to improve safety have been implemented. But the recent report from one of those investigations reminds me of the saying by former New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan: you can have your own opinions, but you can’t have your own facts.

It’s a fact that exploring for and producing oil and natural gas involves risk: oil and natural gas reservoirs are often deep underground, including under the sea floor, and these reservoirs are generally high pressure environments.  Industry workers are, therefore, highly skilled, and participate in many hours of training and drills, to ensure their safety.

Insinuations that the millions of men and women who work in the U.S. oil and natural gas industry don’t have their safety, and the safety of their coll! eagues, in mind are offensive.  Further, to suggest that oil and natural gas company executives are “complacent” when it comes to the safety of their employees is unfair and outrageous.  Even the industry’s biggest detractors must grant that no business would be careless with the billion-dollar investment that is an oil rig.

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