The federal government’s top offshore drilling regulator warned Tuesday that metal bolts used to hold together drilling equipment under the surface of the ocean are failing faster than anticipated.
Fuelfix.com reports Brian Salerno, director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, says so far the failures have not resulted in any major oil leaks or other incidents but the rapid corrosion concerns inspectors.
“They’re very simple in design and concept but they’re critical,” he said during a press conference at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston. “If a vital connection point fails, the entire system is compromised.”
Officials from BSEE say they are in discussions with the manufacturers of the bolts and oil and gas companies in the Gulf to try to find out why the bolts are failing. No definitive answer has been reached, says Douglas Morris, BSEE chief of offshore regulatory programs.
“We’ve seen a pattern for all three major equipment manufacturers,” he says. “The industry is trying to figure out a solution.”
