Fact Sheets
| Incident Information | |
| SafeOCS Confidential Reporting System (August 2017) |
SafeOCS is a voluntary program for confidential reporting of 'near misses' occurring on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). SafeOCS was developed for an industry-wide data repository for equipment failure programs to collect and analyze reports of equipment failure and near-miss events on the OCS. SafeOCS is managed independently by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. |
| Taylor Energy Oil Discharge at MC-20AWell Site and Ongoing Response Efforts (May 2015) |
The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have worked with the U.S. Coast Guard under a Unified Command to monitor and respond to discharges from Taylor Energy's Mississippi Canyon 20 (MC-20) site since the oil production platform and 25 of 28 connected wells were impacted and damaged during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The multi-agency effort has worked continuously to prevent and control the oil discharge, improve the effectiveness of containment around the source of the oil discharge, and mitigate environmental impacts. |
| U. S. Coast Guard Fact Sheet (May 2015) |
The U.S. Coast Guard, as the Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC) under a Unified Command (UC) which includes the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Responsible Party, Taylor Energy, has monitored and responded to discharges from Taylor Energy's Mississippi Canyon 20A (MC-20A) well site resulting from damage to the oil production platform and 25 connected wells during Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The multi-agency effort has worked continuously to prevent and control the discharge, improve the effectiveness of containment around the leaking oil, and mitigate environmental impacts. |
| Reform and Reorganization | |
| Reforms since the Deepwater Horizon Tragedy (September 2016) |
In response to the Deepwater Horizon blowout, explosion and resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, the Department of the Interior launched the most aggressive and comprehensive reforms to offshore oil and gas regulation and oversight in U.S. history. This included restructuring to provide independent regulatory agencies that have clear missions and are better resourced to carry out their work, while keeping pace with a rapidly evolving industry. These efforts help ensure that the United States can safely and responsibly expand development of its domestic energy resources. |
| BOEM and BSEE Separation (January 2011) |
The reorganization of the former Minerals Management Service was designed to remove the complex and sometimes conflicting missions of the agency by providing the two new bureaus with clear and focused missions and responsibilities. This fact sheet outlines the efforts that went into the reorganization, new reforms and the formation of BOEM and BSEE. |
| BSEE Fact Sheet (October 2011) |
BSEE has created a fact sheet that covers the organizational structure, missions and responsibilities of the year-old bureau. |
| Reforms Fact Sheet (October 2011) |
In response to the Deepwater Horizon explosion and resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Department of the Interior instituted the most aggressive and comprehensive reforms to offshore oil and gas regulation and oversight in U.S. history. This fact sheet outlines the efforts to increase the safety of offshore energy exploration and development. |
| BOEM and BSEE Responsibilities Guide (October 2011) |
The Department of Interior created two new, independent agencies to carry out the offshore energy management and enforcement functions of the Department. This fact sheet outlines the detailed responsibilities of each bureau. |
| Regulations | |
| Blowout Preventer Systems and Well Control Rule Proposed Revisions (April 2018) |
BSEE works to advance safe and environmentally sustainable offshore energy production for America, as authorized by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953. In response to Executive and Secretarial Orders directing BSEE to review regulations that potentially burden the development or use of domestically produced energy resources and appropriately suspend, revise, or rescind those that unduly burden the development of domestic energy resources beyond the degree necessary to protect the public interest or otherwise comply with the law, BSEE proposes the revisions described in this document to existing regulations for well control and blowout preventer systems. |
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Proposed vs. Final Arctic Rule Fact Sheet |
The Arctic-specific regulations focus solely on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) exploratory drilling operations from mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs)1 within the U.S. Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. The final regulations do not affect exploratory drilling on the Arctic OCS conducted in the future using other drilling technologies (e.g., use of a land rig on grounded or land-fast ice). These rules require operators to ensure proper internal controls and planning for safety and oil spill prevention, containment and responses. The regulations codify and further develop current Arctic-specific operational requirements to ensure that operators take the necessary steps to plan all phases of OCS exploratory drilling in the Arctic, including mobilization, maritime transport and emergency response. |
| Arctic Exploratory Drilling Regulations Fact Sheet (February 2017) |
The final Arctic exploratory drilling regulations address issues highlighted in the Department of the Interior’s report on Shell's 2012 exploration operations on the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and issues raised in a series of public meetings and outreach meetings with stakeholders, industry, the State of Alaska, and Tribal and Alaska Native Corporation consultations. The final rule addresses issues raised by numerous written comments on the proposed rule. |
| Decommissioning Costs Fact Sheet (November 2016) |
The Government requires oil and gas companies that lease rights on the federally-controlled submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to provide financial assurance to cover all decommissioning costs. In order to continuously improve decommissioning cost estimates, BSEE finalized the Decommissioning Costs Reporting Rule in December 2015. This rule requires lessees and owners to submit summaries of their actual costs for the decommissioning of wells and platforms, and for verification that the site is clear of obstructions. |
| Well Control Rule Fact Sheet (April 2016) |
The drilling safety rule, addresses key recommendations made after the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, closes gaps in existing requirements, and updates BSEE regulations to reflect industry best practices. |
| Proposed Rule to Strengthen Offshore Safety and Best Practices (August 2013) |
The proposed rule implements best practices and updates regulations regarding production safety systems and equipment used to collect and treat oil and gas from offshore production facilities. |
| SEMS II Fact Sheet (April 2013) |
The SEMS II Final Rule enhances the original SEMS rule, also known as the Workplace Safety Rule, that was issued in October 2010, providing greater protection by supplementing operators' SEMS programs with employee training, empowering field level personnel with safety management decisions and strengthening auditing procedures by requiring them to be completed by independent third parties. |
| Drilling Safety Rule Fact Sheet (August 2012) |
The Drilling Safety Rule imposes requirements that will enhance the safety of oil and gas drilling operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). It addresses both well bore integrity and well control equipment and procedures. The Drilling Safety Rule will be effective immediately upon publication. |
| Workplace Safety Rule Fact Sheet (October 2010) |
The Workplace Safety Rule covers all offshore oil and gas operations in federal waters and makes mandatory the previously voluntary practices in the American Petroleum Institute's (API) Recommended Practice 75 (RP 75). |
| Ohmsett | |
| Ohmsett Fact Sheet (September 2011) |
Ohmsett is BSEE's oil spill response and renewable energy testing and research center. It hosts one of the largest above ground concrete test tanks of its kind, measuring 203 meters long by 20 meters wide by 3.4 meters deep. This fact sheet reviews Ohmsett's mission and testing capabilities. |
| Ohmsett Arctic Oil Spill Research Fact Sheet (November 2011) |
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has successfully developed and conducted research projects directly related to improving equipment and processes for the prompt identification and removal of oil from harsh Arctic environments. This fact sheet highlights the BSEE Oil Spill Response Research program arctic oil spill response efforts. |
| Technological Research | |
| Offshore Hydraulic Fracturing Q&A (March 2016) |
Offshore Hydraulic Fracturing Q&A |
| BSEE's Subsea Bolts Performance and Critical Drill-Through Equipment Fastener Study (March 2016) |
As the oil and gas industry moves into deeper water and more hostile environments in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska and other offshore domestic or global areas, it becomes more challenging to manage safety, risk and environmental concerns. Barrier and control failures account for nearly two-thirds of all offshore loss-of-well-control events to date (Andersen et al. SINTEF 2011). In particular, there have been a number of cases associated with fastener/bolt failures. Assessment and verification of the integrity of design, manufacture, installation, maintenance and inspection processes for the fasteners that are currently being used or being developed is essential for controlling losses of well control, worker safety, and protection of environment. |
| Technology Assessment Programs (January 2015) |
BSEE's Technology Assessment Programs (TAP) program supports research regarding operational safety and pollution prevention related to offshore oil and natural gas and renewable energy exploration and development, and is an important part of BSEE's safety program. |
| Ocean Energy Safety Institute (November 2013) |
The Ocean Energy Institute (OESI) has been established to facilitate research and development, training of Federal workers on identification and verification of Best Available and Safest Technology (BAST), and implementation of operational improvements in the areas of offshore drilling safety and environmental protection, blowout containment and oil spill response. |