DNV Business Assurance receives approval to begin Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) audits of oil and gas drilling operators in the Gulf of Mexico & US Outer Continental Shelf. SEMS is the Safety and Environmental Management Systems program developed by the Center for Offshore Safety (COS) and made mandatory in 2011 by the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Initially established as a set of industry best practices, SEMS compliance must be verified by a third-party auditor, such as DNV. Non-compliant operators risk losing their exploration and drilling privileges in governed waters. DNV was recently notified by COS of its provisional accreditation for SEMS auditing…