Vladimir's Energy Blog

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board has subpoenaed rig owner Transocean for records and witnesses to the Deepwater Horizon spill. Transocean has declined to coorperate and disputes the Board’s claim of jurisdiction.

I’ve never dealt with the Chemical Safety Board as a regulatory body. This was not a refinery explosion, it was a crude oil blowout in a drilling well, and the USCG and BOEMRE have jurisdiction.

At issue is whether the Deepwater Horizon rig was stationary or mobile. On station, the rig was a moored seagoing vessel. That’s the way it would be interpreted under the Jones Act, in any case. Only fixed, stationary platforms are exempt from the Jones Act, and there’s no such thing in 5,000 ft of water.