The US Interior Department has announced two new regulations that will force offshore operators to comply with stricter training and risk management standards.

Announcing the new reforms, Interior secretary Ken Salazar commented: "Operators will need to comply with tougher requirements for everything from well design and cementing practices to blowout preventers and employee training."

The first regulation will cover training and workplace safety, making best-practice codes from the American Petroleum Institute mandatory for all offshore operators, while the second regulation will increase drilling safety requirements.

The new regulations have been drawn up using emergency powers, following the Deepwater Horizon spill which began on April 20th.

Industry groups have warned that the new requirements will increase the strain on the offshore industry, which has been subject to a drilling moratorium since the start of the spill.

Although the drilling ban is set to expire in March, Bloomberg reports that many US and European operators will need a further three months to mobilise a spill prevention fleet in the Gulf.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development