BSEE Issues Specific Guidance To Offshore Drilling Operators On Preparing A Better Regional Oil Spill Response Plan

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) recently issued a new Notice to Lessees and Operators of Federal Oil and Gas Leases and Pipeline Right-of-Way Holders (NTL) regarding the preparation of regional oil spill response plans (known in the industry as "OSRPs"). The NTL (No. 2012-N06), which became effective on August 10, 2012, provides guidance to the owners and operators of offshore facilities in the federal Outer Continental Shelf, who are required to develop and submit OSRPs to BSEE for review and approval prior to implementation in the field. Regional OSRPs are spill response plans that cover multiple offshore facilities (including Mobile Offshore Drilling Units) or leases of an owner or operator that are located in the same BSEE Region. A motivating factor for the establishment of the NTL was information obtained and lessons learned during 2010's Deepwater Horizon oil spill response.