According to a May 11 report from The Gazette, Canadian regulators relaxed offshore drilling regulations late last year, giving the energy industry more flexibility when putting in place safeguards against oil spills. Previously, companies were required to install specific kinds of equipment. The old regulations outlined everything from how companies should cement the casing on an oil well, to how they should conduct pressure tests. Under the new regulations, which came into force in December, well operators must set environmental-protection goals, list the equipment they will use to achieve those goals and disclose their plans for inspecting, testing and maintaining such gear. They are not required to install any specific equipment.
(Source: The Gazette)