Environmental Monitoring

Field Inspections

Inspections for Compliance with Approved Environmental Protection Measures

The GOMR has an extensive, detailed inspection program to ensure safe and environmentally sound offshore oil and gas operations. This program places BOEMRE inspectors offshore on drilling rigs and production platforms on a daily basis to check operator compliance with extensive safety and environmental protection requirements.

The BOEMRE inspection program in the Gulf of Mexico is directed by a Regional Office located in New Orleans, and 5 district offices, located in Lake Jackson, Texas, and Lake Charles, Lafayette, Houma, and New Orleans, Louisiana. These offices employ a total of 50 inspectors and 5 supervisory inspectors. Individual oil and gas companies have their drilling rig inspected before it begins drilling and at least once a month while it is drilling. Production operations are inspected before production begins, within two months after production begins, and at least once annually. Other inspections are conducted on well-workover and completion operations, pipeline installation, and platform and well abandonment.

The BOEMRE also inspects the stockpiles of industry's equipment to contain and clean up oil spills. The four oil spill response organizations (OSROs) have stockpiles located at over 30 strategic sites along the Gulf coast. These inspections are conducted by Oil Pollution Act (OPA) engineers located at the one of the five district offices or by Oil Spill Program staff in the New Orleans Regional Office. The Oil Spill Program also tests the ability of oil and gas and pipeline operators to properly respond to an oil spill by using the procedures and resources in their Oil Spill Response Plans. Each year the BOEMRE Gulf of Mexico Region conducts approximately 20 drills. All of these drills are evaluated using the National Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP) guidelines. These drills are always unannounced and have been initiated in the early morning hours and at night.

Regulatory Inspections for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Compliance

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) of 1972 (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) as amended by the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977 (P.L. 95-217) set the basic structure for regulating the discharge of pollutants to our Nation’s waters. The CWA gave the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority to set effluent standards for all point-source industries, including the offshore oil and gas extraction industry. It is unlawful to discharge any pollutants unless a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit is obtained.

The EPA issues general and individual NPDES permits for a five-year period. These permits are subject to renewal for subsequent five-year periods. Individual permits enhance the protection of sensitive resources while still allowing the development of our energy resources. Individual permits provide more opportunity for EPA evaluation and input to OCS oil and gas facility developments. For example, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico region, individual permits are required for areas of biological concern, water landward of the 200 meter isobath.

The BOEMRE meets their legal responsibility by working with the EPA and offshore operators. On August 31, 1989, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 6 and the BOEMRE GOMR. The agreement provides for BOEMRE to inspect a maximum of 50 OCS oil and gas platforms annually using an EPA checklist. Sampling inspections will be conduced by EPA using BOEMRE transportation and will not exceed 10 inspections per year. BOEMRE inspectors pick up NPDES-required samples from offshore operators and deliver them to the EPA. In addition, BOEMRE inspectors conduct record exams. BOEMRE does not issue INC’s associated with these inspections, however, it does provide a summary of findings to EPA at the end of the 50 inspections.