Offshore safety agency final rule bolsters approval process for ‘new or unusual technology’

Washington — A new Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement final rule codifies existing agency practice related to the review and approval of projects that will feature “new or unusual technology” – including equipment used in high-pressure or high-temperature environments.

In a press release, BSEE Director Kevin Sligh said the rule, set to go into effect Oct. 29, “is critical to ensuring the offshore energy industry minimizes the risks of harm to offshore workers and the environment, particularly when it encounters more challenging operating conditions.”

The rule applies to technologies that incorporate equipment or procedures that haven’t previously been used under anticipated operating conditions in a particular BSEE Outer Continental Shelf region, or that feature operating characteristics outside those established in 30 CFR Part 250.

BSEE claims that the rule “will improve operational and environmental safety and human health, while providing consistency and clarity to industry” by:

• Requiring submission of information in a sequence that provides operators and BSEE the ability to evaluate whether a new or unusual technology project is economically and operationally feasible.
• Adding specific equipment requirements, particularly for barriers, via new regulations and incorporation of industry standards.
• Requiring independent third-party review of operator submissions, in certain cases, or providing BSEE with the ability to require such review, to ensure product viability and safety.

BSEE published a proposed rule in May 2022.