Houston-based offshore safety institute will be launched soon by the oil and gas industry's main trade group. The President of American Petroleum Institute (API), Jack Gerard said that the new centre will promote the safety for offshore operations, through an effective program of management practices, communication and teamwork. The safety institute will operate around an existing safety framework created by API and are well known as RP75.

The oil and gas industry has planned to create the institute so that the possible disasters could be handled carefully.

The spokesman of API says that the safety institute will probably have its own full-time staff and offices. The creation of the safety centre was one of the recommendations made by a presidential commission. The commission wanted the institute to be similar to the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations.

The Co- Chairman of Spill panel, William Reilly has appreciated the development of the safety institute which is independent of the existing industry groups like API. He added that the creation of the institute is a significant initiative taken by the President of API.