In this week's news update, existing regulations for storing petroleum in underground tanks get a reboot, and the rig count drops for the 28th straight week.
To improve prevention and detection of petroleum releases from underground storage tanks, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is strengthening its federal requirements.
The requirements will strengthen existing regulations and help ensure all underground storage tanks – a leading source of groundwater contamination – in the U.S. meet the same protection standards.
The requirements now include adding secondary containment requirements for new and replaced tanks and piping; adding operator training requirements; adding periodic operation and maintenance requirements for systems; removing past deferrals for emergency generator tanks, airport hydrant systems and field constructed tanks; adding new release prevention and detection technologies; updating codes of practice; and updating state program approval requirements to incorporate new changes.
Rig Count Drops for 28th Straight Week
It wasn’t as big of a drop this time around, but for the 28th straight week, Baker Hughes says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined in numbers released on June 19.
Baker Hughes says the numbers of rigs went down two last week to 857. The Houston-based company said 631 rigs were seeking oil and 223 explored for natural gas. A year ago there were 1,858 active rigs.
Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma each declined by two rigs, while Ohio and Wyoming were down by one. Utah gained two rigs, and Alaska, North Dakota and Pennsylvania were up one each.
Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, Texas and West Virginia were unchanged.
The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed out at 488 in 1999.
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