"We do believe we have one of the most robust regimes in the world, with the Norwegians," Hendry told a panel of UK lawmakers investigating the implications of the Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Hendry, a junior minister in the Department of Energy and Climate Change, described the UK's safety regime as "the gold standard," but added that the government was ready to adapt regulations if new evidence comes out of the studies into the Macondo spill.
"It's a constantly evolving process...if there are new things to be learned we will do that," he told parliament's Energy and Climate Change Committee.
Hendry said it was "entirely proper" that the UK should continue to issue new licenses and drilling permits in the Atlantic waters to the west of the Shetland Islands, as it was "in the national interest" to produce as much of the country's remaining oil and gas reserves as possible.
The West of Shetland area is believed to contain around 20% of those remaining reserves, but also poses a bigger challenge to operators, with deeper water and harsher weather conditions than the North Sea.
The committee has already taken evidence from former BP CEO Tony Hayward as well as the UK heads of Chevron, Total, DONG and Transocean as it reviews the implications of Macondo and the safety and environmental regime covering UK offshore operations.
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