November 9, 2016

As audiences around the world watched the movie “Deepwater Horizon,” many of us found ourselves reflecting on the lessons of the actual tragedy that occurred April 20, 2010. Like most of you, I expected the movie to alter some of what the thorough investigations discovered, and I suppose the movie’s effort to create a “bad guy” was predictable. That said, those of us who work to reduce risks related to offshore drilling and upstream production know that it is simplistic and naive to tie… more

October 12, 2016

The same exploratory drive that created digital comput­ers and put Americans on the moon is clearly in evidence when one watches our nation’s energy in­dustry expand its footprint into fron­tier areas such as the ultra-deep­waters of the Gulf of Mexico. My agency, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Safety and Environmen­tal Enforcement, understands that ultra-deepwater oil and gas extrac­tion has an important role to play in meeting America’s energy needs. However, such expansions must be… more

October 12, 2016

A team of high schoolers marches onto the football field at the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium for the main event, briefly shielding their eyes as they step into the bright afternoon sun. The voice of the announcer booms over the loudspeaker as they line up, arranging themselves around their captain on the fifty yard line. Each teammate wears a black and white jersey and a determined expression, as well as protective goggles and a shiny hardhat. Yes, that’s hardhat, not helmet. These… more