New rule seeks to strengthen safety of offshore oil, gas operations
As domestic oil and gas development continues to expand on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich recently announced a proposed rule that they say will reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries and spills in connection with oil and natural gas exploration and development activities.
The proposed Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) rule is part of a series of safety and environmental reforms implemented by the Department of the Interior since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The proposed rule, which enhances the Workplace Safety Rule issued in October 2010, will add greater protection by supplementing operators’ SEMS programs with employee training, engaging personnel in safety management, and strengthening auditing procedures by requiring them to be completed by independent third parties.