Advance Notice of Proposed Rules:  (none)

Notice of Proposed Rules (2010):

Production Measurement Documents Incorporated by Reference (593 KB PDF) Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD53 Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 227, FR 72761 (11/29/2010)

Summary: BOEMRE proposes to incorporate by reference 15 new production measurement industry standards into the regulations governing oil, gas, and sulphur operations in the Outer Continental Shelf. Incorporation of the production measurement standards provides industry with up-to date guidance for measuring oil and gas production volumes. This will result in more efficient measurement of oil and gas production.

Dates: Submit comments by January 25, 2011.

Public Comments

Notices (2010)
 

Flaring Versus Venting To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Outer Continental Shelf; Public Workshop (149 KB PDF)

Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 249, FR 81950 (12/29/2010)

Summary: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement is announcing a workshop to discuss possible new requirements on flaring versus venting of natural gas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), when such atmospheric release of natural gas is necessary and in compliance with regulations. The main focus of this workshop will be aimed at the potential reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

Dates: The Workshop will be held on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Requirements for Measurement Facilities Used for the Royalty Valuation of Processed Natural Gas (55 KB PDF)

Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 226, FR 71733 (01/08/2010)

Summary: This notice provides information regarding the responsibilities of lessees, operators, and lessees’ representatives with respect to the measurement of Federal production at gas processing plants when royalty is reported and paid on processed gas at or downstream of the plant tailgate under 30 CFR 1206.153. This equipment includes any metering, sampling, or recording devices associated with the measurement of inlet production, residue gas, fuel gas, flare gas, condensate, natural gas liquids, or any other products recovered from Federal production.

Effective Dates: December 27, 2010.

Notice Summarizing Outer Continental Shelf Civil Penalties Assessment (41 KB PDF) Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 5, FR 1076 (01/08/2010)

Summary: The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act requires the Minerals Management Service (MMS) to review the maximum daily civil penalty assessment for violations of regulations governing oil and gas operations in the Outer Continental Shelf at least once every 3 years. This review ensures that the maximum penalty assessment reflects any increases in the Consumer Price Index as prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. After conducting the required review in August 2009, the MMS determined that no adjustment is necessary at this time.

Notice of Availability of the Revised Minerals Management Service Documentation of Section 106 Finding of Adverse Effect (Revised Finding) for the Proposed Cape Wind Energy Project (46 KB PDF) Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 15, FR 3922 (01/25/2010) Summary: The MMS has prepared a revised version of its Section 106 Finding of Adverse Effect document related to the proposed Cape Wind Energy Project pursuant to implementing regulations for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (36 CFR Part 800). The original Finding of Adverse Effect for this project was dated January 29, 2009. The Finding of Adverse Effect is being revised in response to new information that five additional properties within the Area of Adverse Effect for the project have now been found to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Final Rules (2010)

Increased Safety Measure for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf; Availability, Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (48 KB PDF) Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD68 Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No.246, FR 80717 (12/27/2010) Summary: In the Federal Register of October 14, 2010, BOEM published an interim final rule implementing certain safety measures recommended in the report entitled, ‘‘Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf’’ (Safety Measures Report). The President directed the Department of the Interior to develop the Safety Measures Report to identify measures necessary to improve the safety of oil and gas exploration and development on the Outer Continental Shelf in light of the Deepwater Horizon event on April 20, 2010, and resulting oil spill. To implement the practices recommended in the Safety Measures Report, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement is amending drilling regulations related to well control, including: subsea and surface blowout preventers, well casing and cementing, secondary intervention, unplanned disconnects, recordkeeping, well completion, and well plugging. This document provides the official BOEMRE notice of availability for the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) for that interim rule and provides opportunity for comment. Effective Date: January 24, 2011 Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (84 KB PDF) Public Comments

	Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the OCS – Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf: Correction (48 KB PDF) Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD68 Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No.236, FR 76632 (12/09/2010) Summary: BOEMRE published an interim final rule implementing certain safety measures recommended for improving the safety of oil and gas exploration and development on the Outer Continental Shelf. This document contains a correction to the final regulations published on October 14, 2010, which inadvertently deleted one sentence from the existing regulations. The correction being made is nonsubstantive and is necessary for clarification purposes only. Effective Date: December 9, 2010 Public Comments
	Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf – Safety and Environmental Management Systems (536 KB PDF) Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD15 Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No.199, FR 63610 (11/15/2010) Summary: This final rule establishes a new subpart under the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) regulations to require operators to develop and implement Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) for oil and gas and sulphur operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Effective Date: November 15, 2010
	Renewable Energy Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf—Acquire a Lease Noncompetitively

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD71
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No.227, FR 72679 (11/26/2010)

Summary: BOEMRE is revising regulations that pertain to noncompetitive acquisition of an Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy lease. We are taking this action because the current regulations covering noncompetitive leasing of an OCS renewable energy lease and an unsolicited request for an OCS renewable energy lease are inconsistent. This rulemaking will make the two processes consistent with each other by eliminating an extra step in the noncompetitive leasing process.

Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf – Increased Safety Measure for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (239 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD68
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 198, FR 63346 (10/14/2010)

Summary: This interim final rule implements certain safety measures recommended in the report entitled, ‘‘Increased Safety Measures for Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf’’ (Safety Measures Report), dated May 27, 2010. The President directed the Department of the Interior to develop the Safety Measures Report to identify measures necessary to improve the safety of oil and gas exploration and development on the Outer Continental Shelf in light of the Deepwater Horizon event on April 20, 2010, and resulting oil spill. To implement the practices recommended in the Safety Measures Report, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement is amending drilling regulations related to well control, including: subsea and surface blowout preventers, well casing and cementing, secondary intervention, unplanned disconnects, recordkeeping, well completion, and well plugging.

Draft Economic (Benefit-Cost) Analysis (589 KB PDF)

Public Comments

Effective Date: October 14, 2010

Annular Casing Pressure Management for Offshore Wells (70 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD47
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 85, FR 23582 (05/04/2010)

Summary: This final rule will establish regulations to address sustained casing pressure in oil and gas wells completed in the Outer Continental Shelf. Sustained casing pressure is a problem that, if left untreated, could cause serious harm to human life and the environment. The final rule will establish criteria for monitoring and testing of wells with sustained casing pressure, and will also incorporate the American Petroleum Institute’s Recommended Practice for managing annular casing pressure. New regulations are needed because the current regulations do not adequately address the requirements for wells that have sustained casing pressure. This rule will promote human safety and environmental protection, and require Outer Continental Shelf lessees to follow best industry practices for wells with sustained casing pressure.

Effective Date: June 3, 2010

Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf—Oil and Gas Production Requirements (154 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD12
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 74, FR 20271(04/19/2010)

Summary: The MMS is amending the regulations regarding oil and natural gas production requirements. This is a complete rewrite of these regulations, addressing issues such as production rates, burning oil, and venting and flaring natural gas, to ensure appropriate development of these natural resources. The final rule eliminates most restrictions on production rates and clarifies limits on the amount of natural gas that can be flared or vented. The final rule is written using plain language, so it is easier to read and understand.

Effective Date: May 19, 2010

Requirements for Subsurface Safety Valve Equipment (70 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD45
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 6, FR 1276 (01/11/2010)

Summary: The MMS is incorporating by reference the Eleventh Edition of the American Petroleum Institute’s Specification for Subsurface Safety Valve Equipment (API Spec 14A) into its regulations. The MMS is incorporating the Eleventh Edition of API Spec 14A because it updated the design validation and functional testing requirements, incorporated new design changes, and corrected ambiguous areas open to misinterpretation. These changes will ensure that lessees and operators use the best available and safest technologies while operating in the Outer Continental Shelf. The rule will also require that lessees and operators provide supporting design verification information for subsurface safety valves intended for use in high pressure high temperature environments.

Effective Date: February 10, 2010

Update of Revised and Reaffirmed Documents Incorporated by Reference (81 KB PDF)

Regulatory Identifier Number: 1010-AD54
Federal Register Cite: Vol. 75, No. 81, FR 22219 (04/28/2010)

Summary: This final rule incorporates 21 revised editions and 17 reaffirmed editions of documents previously incorporated by reference in regulations governing oil and gas and sulphur operations in the Outer Continental Shelf.

Effective Date: May 28, 2010