Rule on offshore drilling aims to enhance safety

The Obama administration is planning to issue a final rule designed to enhance the safety of offshore oil drilling equipment.

The rule, expected to be announced Thursday, comes in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion, which killed 11 people and dumped millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

Federal investigators blamed a faulty blowout preventer for the spill and called for stronger regulations of equipment that prevents oil and gas from rushing to the surface.

An administration official not authorized to speak publicly confirmed the timing of the rule announcement on condition of anonymity.

Industry officials have complained that the proposed changes would cost billions of dollars more than projected.