Best Available and Safest Technologies for Offshore Oil and Gas Operations Options for Implementation (2013) / Chapter Skim
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4 Implementation Mechanisms
4 Implementation Mechanisms
Pages 39-51
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From page 39... ...
Within that bureau, the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs develops and maintains up-to-date regulations, policies, standards, and guidelines for BAST practices that govern industry's offshore operations nationwide. It oversees BSEE's compliance activities and ensures appropriate and effective enforcement actions.1 The current organization chart of BSEE is shown in Figure 4-1.
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From page 40... ...
Source: http://www.bsee.gov/Abo y O out-BSEE/index.aspx. Accessed September 27, 2013. r
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From page 41... ...
receiving the award will be responsible for managing OESI, providing input on yearly objectives, conducting certain work to further the attainment of those objectives, and being a focal point for collaboration on issues within the OESI mandate."3 As identified in the program announcement by BSEE, "the primary mission of the OESI is to provide a forum for dialogue, shared learning, and cooperative research among academia, government, industry and other non-governmental organizations, in offshore energy-related technologies and activities that ensure safe and environmentally responsible offshore operations" (BSEE and BOEM 2013, 2)
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From page 42... ...
In this context, the staff and organization of OESI must be reasonably stable over the decades-long periods that characterize offshore operations and facility lifetimes. The committee believes that this should be taken into account if hosting and management of OESI are recompeted on a regular basis.4 Options for Alternative Structures The committee supports BSEE's formation of OESI and offers the following comments concerning structure and governance options and potential impact on the intent and capabilities of OESI.
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From page 43... ...
Therefore, it can recruit personnel whose skills and commensurate market value place them out of reach of the civil service pay structure (Howieson et al.
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Lessons from Other Organizations The way in which private organizations that support regulators are structured and function can provide valuable lessons and examples to BSEE. Classification societies provide classification and statutory services to the maritime industry and regulatory bodies with regard to maritime safety and pollution prevention.
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Secondees would be expected to rotate back to industry after an engagement with the institute for periods ranging from several weeks to more than a year. Such industry involvement is important in ensuring that OESI is able to prioritize and focus on the key technological and regulatory gaps as well as risks and challenges related to offshore oil and gas exploration and production technology.
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From page 46... ...
Location A body of knowledge and experience is available to a nascent OESI, but it is largely developed within the oil and gas industry and nurtured within the technical departments of operators, service companies, and equipment manufacturers. The committee believes that consideration should be given to locating OESI in an area near offshore drilling and exploration activities, such as the Gulf States region.
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From page 47... ...
Consider models for cross-postings of BSEE and OESI technical staff to and from industry. Cross-postings are carried out successfully in other federal agencies with safety oversight responsibilities in technically demanding fields.
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BSEE needs a small number of technical staff, supervised by a trained and experienced engineer of the caliber of the chief engineer within an operating or service company, who can interface with a (remote) OESI, understand technologies and their applications, interface with his or her counterparts within industry, and provide critical judgment concerning industry plans and activities to senior and management staff within BSEE and the Department of the Interior.
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From page 49... ...
. A recent example of broad involvement of all stakeholders in an agency–industry conference was shown in the June 2013 National Energy Board of Canada Safety Forum.9 Suggested Mechanism for BSEE to Obtain Input and Guidance In the implementation of BAST, BSEE has an opportunity to redefine the relationship between it and industry more as a partnership -- one that recognizes that the final authority remains with the federal agency but in which the agency acknowledges that industry has much technological expertise to offer.
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From page 50... ...
Recognizing that budget funds are limited, BSEE should evaluate options and explore opportunities to join selected studies as full paying members or, as sometimes is offered, as an observer. COMMITTEE'S NET ASSESSMENT Having considered options for the establishment and evaluation of BAST, the committee recognizes that there will be many challenges in creating the structures and environment that will reliably bring the best technologies to the attention of both operating companies and the regulator and that will allow the regulator to assess fully the net benefits of applying these technologies in offshore operations.
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The regular recompeting of OESI could make this difficult, particularly at the budgetary level announced, because growth and retention of a stable core of technical and managerial expertise that will be necessary over the decades-long time scales that are common in the offshore industry will not be possible. Complementary to the establishment of OESI, BSEE would benefit from having its own in-house highly reputable chief engineer or chief scientist with technical expertise in offshore drilling and exploration.
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