to address these events so i do feel that the industry is ready to operate and respond responsibly. all you after the oil spill the government outlined new regulations. the biggest change according to one group is having a predetermined plan of how to control a spill response. there is in more on the my deciding what technology to use or how to use them. this company modified some of their containment equipment adding valves to adjust it using remotely operated vehicles. this structure stopped a spill or redirect the flow of oil has been recognized in six drilling permits issued in the gulf so far. we are in a road of progress but we are not at a point or will we ever, where we have achieved the safest possible oil and gas drilling. in the gulf of mexico last month, there was an impact on the shoreline that was impacted
reporter: following the bp oil spill, the government outlined new regulations and increased inspections. perhaps the biggest change, according to the helix group, is having a predetermined plan of how to control a spill response. there s no more on the fly, deciding what technologies to use, or how to use them. reporter: heelix, for example, modified some of its containment equipment, adding valves so it could be adjusted using remotely operated vehicles below the surface. this structure used to stop a spill or redirect the flow of oil has already been recognized and six drilling permits issued in the gulf so far. we are in a road of progress, but we re not at a point, nor will we ever be, where we can say that we ve achieved the safest possible oil and gas drilling in america s oceans. reporter: government statistics, detailing the number of spills and how bad they ve actually been so far this year, aren t available yet, but we do know just last month, there was a spill out
industry also supplied information on and say yeah, this would help. perhaps the biggest change, according to the helix energy solutions group is having a predetermined plan of how to control a spill response, utilizing several oil companies and their particular strengths. there s no more on the fly deciding what technologies are used or how to use them. helix, for example, modified some of its containment equipment adding valves so it can be adjusted using remotely operated vehicles a mile below the surface. this structure used to stop a spill or redirect the flow of oil has already been recognized and six drilling permits issued in the gulf so far. we are in a road of progress but we re not at a point nor will we ever be where we can say that we have achieved the safest possible oil and gas drilling in america s oceans. just last month, there was actually an oil spill that impacted the sensitive shoreline of grand isle, louisiana, same shoreline that impacted last
significant changes, first and foremost in the drilling safety rules. second in terms of spill response capabilities, and third in terms of the ability of operators to control subsea containments. the reason there were no permit deepwater drilling permits granted until late february is because until that time industry had failed to demonstrate that it had the capabilities to contain a subsea blowout. now they have those mechanisms, and in connection with every drilling permit that we approve, the operator has to designate the containment capabilities that it will rely on in the case of a spill. that s an enormous advance. obviously you want to prevent spills from happening to begin with, but we watched with horror for 87 days when the mccondo spill could not be contained. we now have a very different set of containment equipment and plans than we did then. and so that should make the american people, and you, feel much differently about deepwater
deepwater drilling permits. in fact, there have been very significant changes, first and foremost in the drilling safety rules. second in terms of spill response capabilities, and third in terms of the ability of operators to control subsea containments. the reason there were no permit deepwater drilling permits granted until late february is because until that time industry had failed to demonstrate that it had the capabilities to contain a subsea blowout. now they have those mechanisms, and in connection with every drilling permit that we approve, the operator has to designate the containment capabilities that it will rely on in the case of a spill. that s an enormous advance. obviously you want to prevent spills from happening to begin with, but we watched with horror for 87 days when the mccondo spill could not be contained. we now have a very different set of containment equipment and plans than we did then. and so that should make the american people, and you, feel much differe