Reid Porter | 202.682.8114 | porterr@api.org

WASHINGTON, December 14, 2011—API Group Director of Upstream and Industry Operations Erik Milito highlighted the oil and natural gas industry's significant and ongoing commitment to safe and responsible operations, following the release of a report today on recommendations for offshore drilling by the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council. 

"We look forward to reviewing the report and combining this knowledge with the ongoing efforts by the industry to continuously improve operations. The industry has already taken significant steps to enhance the capability to prevent, contain and respond to a potential spill. Through API's standards process and the Center for Offshore Safety, the industry is leading the way in applying the best elements of the most successful existing safety programs, including the use of independent auditing and certification by third parties," said Milito. 

"The industry moved quickly and effectively after the 2010 Gulf spill to assemble four task forces to examine all aspects of offshore safety systems and to issue recommendations for improvements to offshore industry equipment, procedures and response capabilities," said Milito. "The actions of these task forces have led to improvements in the capability to prevent, contain and respond to a potential spill."

The industry's commitment to safe and environmentally responsible operations is evident in new technologies such as the Marine Well Containment Corporation and the Helix Well Containment Group, which provide the capability to address the unique challenges of capping a well that is releasing oil thousands of feet below the water's surface. 

The API Standards Program – accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) – dates back to the 1920s and provides an opportunity for continuous improvement through collaboration among companies, regulators and other stakeholders. The industry has 240 exploration and production standards, which raise the safety performance level across the industry, to maintain and improve operational safety.  API is working on completing two new documents that will help enhance deepwater operations. These standards will continue to be periodically evaluated and upgraded as appropriate.  

API represents more than 490 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America's energy, supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers more than $86 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested more than $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.