At the ISN Annual Users Conference, Doug Slitor, Acting Chief of the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs, is presenting the new regulations and best practices for offshore operators and contractors as previously set forth by BOEMRE. BOEMRE, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, was reorganized on October 1 into two separate entities: the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Mr. Slitor explains the function and scope of these new bureaus’ work.
Originally created from the former Minerals Management Service, BOEMRE’s intention has been to make the Gulf of Mexico safe for workers and the environment alike. Now as two distinct organizations, BOEM and BSEE play specific roles.
BOEM focuses on resource identification, leasing, and compliance with environmental regulations. BSEE takes on the job of regulatory development, inspection, technical research, and enforcement of safety regulations. Another important component of BSEE’s work is oil spill response oversight, a function whose value was magnified after the Deepwater Horizon spill in April 2010.
As part of its effort to encourage and regulate safe practices in the Gulf of Mexico, BSEE has created SEMS, Safety and Environmental Management Systems. It is mandatory for offshore operators to have a SEMS plan in place by November 15, 2011.
Mr. Slitor also outlines SEMS expectations in his presentation. Elements of an approved SEMS plan include: Hazard Analysis, Emergency Response and Control, and a Contractor/Operator interface. Operators must also provide records of their contractors’ knowledge and training for the job they perform. ISN has partnered with its Owner Clients to use the Training Qualification (TQ) tool in ISNetworld in order to meet this requirement.
ISN assists contractors in meeting TQ requirements set forth by their Owner Client by providing a comprehensive activity list, templates to organize and upload employee information, and step-by-step written instructions on how to meet SEMS requirements in ISNetworld.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/farewell-to-an-acronym/?scp=1&sq=bsee&st=cse
http://www.boemre.gov/
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/04/22/22greenwire-debate-on-protecting-oil-rig-workers-takes-a-n-82148.html?scp=1&sq=SEMS%20boemre&st=cse
According to a new study by Quest Offshore Resources, Inc., if permitting in the Gulf of Mexico for offshore development returned to pre-spill levels before the Obama administration’s moratorium, as many as 190,000 jobs could potentially be created in the next two years. This study was done for the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA). Projected jobs could include not only offshore drilling, but also indirect jobs including companies nationwide that supply the oil and gas industry with valves, pipes, rope and other related equipment. 
