The US Department for the Interior has issued a new directive to offshore operators and lessees, tightening safety requirements

The new guidelines follow secretary of the interior Ken Salazar's report to the president regarding safety in the offshore sector following the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico.

Operators working in the region will now be required to prove that all personnel are properly trained and that all procedures have been reviewed to ensure personnel safety and environmental protection.

Certification from each operator's chief executive officer will be required to prove all safety requirements have been met.

Aside from changes to safety and training operations, further steps will be taken to ensure that drilling equipment is compatible with the specific locations of wells, and that new inspection and reporting requirements are adhered to.

While there is a moratorium on deepwater drilling offshore the US at the moment, operations can still take place in shallower waters.

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