Offshore Regulators Halt Public COVID-19 Reporting

Bracewell’s Bob Nichols recently discussed with Energy Intelligence the reaction to federal agencies in charge of regulating the safety of oil and gas operations in the US Gulf of Mexico stopping public updates on the spread of COVID-19 on offshore facilities as the number of cases continues to rise.

He said regulators typically represent the priorities of the current administration, and this one has been “unapologetically eager” to keep the oil industry running.

Nichols said he believes operators’ liability “is unlikely to be high” even if offshore cases continue to rise. “The likelihood of any severe liability is really, really small, but not nonexistent,” he said.

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