Description
I presented my research "Independent regulators as a response to major oil spills and accidents in the offshore oil and gas industry" during the International Oil Spill Conference 2021, organized by the International Maritime Organization, among other organizations.Independent regulators are considered as an element of effective regulatory frameworks and has been one of the measures introduced not only after major accidents in the offshore O&G industry (Piper Alpha and Deepwater Horizon US), but also as a response to risks such as earthquakes, as illustrated with the case of the SSM in the Netherlands. Using criteria developed in the field of public administration, I compared the levels of independence of four safety regulators: the HSE (UK), the PSA (Norway), the BSEE (US) and the SSM (the Netherlands). My paper concludes that the four authorities have different levels of independence from political influence being the HSE the most independent and the BSEE the least one. The lowest levels of independence are financial and structural. In the context of the energy transition, safety regulators will play a key role to ensure that O&G companies perform their activities without damaging the environment and protecting the lives of workers. Improving the independence of safety regulators from undue influences is paramount to achieve this goal.
| Periode | 11-mei-2021 |
|---|---|
| Gehouden op | International Maritime Organization IMO |