Mexico

As work continues to battle the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Democratic lawmakers representing coastal states have introduced legislation that would raise the cap on an oil producer’s liability for economic damages from a spill to $10 billion from the current $75 million (see Daily GPI, May 4).

Hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil were befouling the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) last week far faster than 2,000 emergency responders and hundreds of vessels could contain the mess created by the apparent blowout of a deepwater well just 42 miles southeast of Venice, LA.

BP plc’s positive earnings in the first three months of 2010 were smothered last week by the company’s involvement in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil spill, which threatens to cut into the oil major’s future operational performance for months to come and diminish its reputation for even longer.

The application of oil dispersants 5,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) was set to begin in a matter of hours Friday afternoon as responders continued to combat oil leaking from the deepwater well ruptured last week 42 miles from shore south of Venice, LA (see Daily GPI, April 27). An attempt to drill a relief well to stop the oil’s flow was to begin Saturday.

While as much as 5,000 b/d of oil leaks into the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), the Obama administration on Thursday did not rule out suspending new deepwater drilling activity while the offshore oil industry garners heightened scrutiny by lawmakers.

The risk management and emergency response plans of BP America and Transocean Ltd. for accidental oil and gas releases have garnered lawmaker scrutiny as a Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil slick grows following an apparent well blowout last week.

The risk management and emergency response plans of BP America and Transocean Ltd. for accidental oil and gas releases have garnered lawmaker scrutiny as a Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil slick grows following an apparent well blowout last week.

The rig count in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) climbed 25% in the first three months from a year ago, led by drillers looking for oil, FBR Capital Markets analysts said Friday. Gas drilling offshore has been “muted,” the team said.

The rig count in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) climbed 25% in the first three months from a year ago, led by drillers looking for oil, FBR Capital Markets analysts said Friday.