BSEE Holds Workshop on Deepwater O&G Ops
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (BSEE) concluded a two-day workshop that brought together experts from the oil and gas industry, and drilling and supply contractors to share information and insights on the effects of water depth on oil and gas operations. This type of information sharing was recommended by the Interior Department’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Safety Oversight Board in its September 2010 Report. “It is critical that we obtain input from industry experts about the range of unique challenges presented by operating in deep water,” said BSEE Director Michael R. Bromwich. The workshop drew approximately 140 people including oil and gas operators, drilling contractors, service and supply contractors, and BSEE personnel.
BOEMRE Strengthens Offshore Inspections Program
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich announced today that the bureau will begin to use multiple-person inspection teams for offshore oil and gas inspections. This internal process improvement will improve oversight and help ensure that offshore operations proceed safely and responsibly. The new process will allow teams to inspect multiple operations simultaneously and thoroughly, and enhance the quality of inspections on larger facilities. “We are bolstering our inspection program with additional resources and new approaches,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich. In addition to on-the-job training…
OCS Safety Board Report Next Steps on Reforms
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that a team led by senior officials in the Department of the Interior, including Interior’s Inspector General, have completed a review of offshore oil and gas oversight and regulation and have delivered a set of recommendations that reinforce and expand on ongoing reforms being carried out by Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich. The report of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Safety Oversight Board, which Secretary Salazar established immediately following the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig, provides recommendations to strengthen permitting, inspections, enforcement and environmental stewardship.
