It has been reported that U. S. lawmakers eager to avoid another offshore oil spill say they want new, tougher standards for blowout preventers, the last line of defense for wells.

Hearst Newspapers reported on Monday that responding to vulnerabilities discovered when the blowout preventer on BP's well in the Gulf of Mexico well failed after its Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and more than 200 million gallons of oil poured into the ocean over 85 days, Interior Department officials are considering requirements for more triggering mechanisms and pipe-shearing abilities for the devices.

Industry engineers were quick to respond with criticisms the proposals would make the preventers too costly and, in some cases, too large to fit on drilling rigs.

It was also reported that oil and gas industry figures urged lawmakers and regulators to wait for a full investigation of why the preventer at the British oil giant's well failed before demanding new rules that could mean a top-to-bottom redesign of the devices.

Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute said that hasty regulation would be like "going into surgery without a diagnosis."

Gerard said, "While the focus has been on the blowout preventer, even those on site will tell you we don't yet know the exact cause."

It has further been reported that the preventers are giant stacks of valves on top of wells to help control unexpected pressure changes. In emergencies, metal shear rams are triggered to slash through the drill pipe and casing, after which a device called a blind shear ram is supposed to slam shut and seal off the open hole. (With Inputs from Agencies)