The Marine Well Containment Company welcomed Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael Bromwich to Houston on Friday as part of ongoing discussions about the company’s interim well containment response system.
The system will provide rapid containment response capabilities in the event of a potential future underwater well control incident in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.
Marine Well Containment Company Chief Executive Officer Marty Massey offered the following statement:
“The Marine Well Containment Company is pleased that Secretary Salazar and Director Bromwich traveled to Houston to view the system’s capping stack today.
“The interim well containment system is complete and available for use. Over the past six months, we have worked closely with BOEMRE, the Coast Guard and other authorities to help ensure that the design meets the regulatory requirements. BOEMRE has reviewed the functional specifications of the interim response system and its input has been included in the final specification.
”Our objective is to ensure that the well containment response system is in a state of continuous operational readiness to facilitate rapid deployment and response in the event that it is required.
“Development of Gulf of Mexico energy resources is critically important to the U.S. It accounts for 30 percent of U.S. oil and gas production and supports more than 170,000 American jobs. The American people expect that the energy that we all need will be produced safely and reliably. The MWCC looks forward to playing a role in helping provide the American people that assurance.”
The capability of the interim containment system will continue to build as components of the expanded system are completed and delivered to the Marine Well Containment Company. The MWCC is on track to complete the expanded system in 2012.
About the Marine Well Containment Company
The Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC) is a not-for-profit, independent organization committed to improving capabilities for containing a potential future underwater well control incident in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Membership is open to all oil and gas operators in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.
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Source:Marine Well Containment Company, February 28, 2011;