National Academies Press: OpenBook

Alternatives for Inspecting Outer Continental Shelf Operations (1990)

Chapter: Appendix C: Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Excerpts, 43 U.S.C.

« Previous: Appendix B: U.S. Coast Guard Inspection Program for Fixed OCS Oil and Gas Facilities
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Excerpts, 43 U.S.C.." National Research Council. 1990. Alternatives for Inspecting Outer Continental Shelf Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1517.
×
Page 90
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Excerpts, 43 U.S.C.." National Research Council. 1990. Alternatives for Inspecting Outer Continental Shelf Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1517.
×
Page 91
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Excerpts, 43 U.S.C.." National Research Council. 1990. Alternatives for Inspecting Outer Continental Shelf Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1517.
×
Page 92
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Excerpts, 43 U.S.C.." National Research Council. 1990. Alternatives for Inspecting Outer Continental Shelf Operations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/1517.
×
Page 93

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

APPENDIX C OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LANDS ACT, EXCERPTS (43 U.S.C.) §1331. Definition (b) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Interior, except that with respect to functions under this subchapter transferred to, or vested in, pursuant to the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.), the term "Secretaryn means the Secretary of Energy, or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as the case may be; §1332. Congressional declaration of policy It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that - the subsoil and seabed of the outer Continental Shelf appertain to the United States and are subject to its jurisdiction, control, and power of disposition as provided in this subchapter; this subchapter shall be construed in such a manner that the character of the waters above the outer Continental Shelf as high seas and the right to navigation and fishing therein shall not be affected; the outer Continental Shelf is a vital national resource reserve held by the Federal Government for the public, which should be made available for expeditious and orderly development with the maintenance of competition and other national needs; (4) since exploration, development, and production of the minerals of the outer Continental Shelf will have significant impacts on coastal and noncoastal areas of the coastal States, and on other affected States, and, in recognition of the national interest in the effective management of the marine, coastal, and human environments - (A) such States and their affected local governments may require assistance in protecting their coastal zones and other affected areas from any temporary or permanent adverse effects of such impacts; and (B) such States, and through such States, affected local governments, are entitled to an opportunity to participate, to the extent consistent with the national interest, in the policy and planning decisions made by the Federal Government relating to exploration for, and development and production of, minerals of the outer Continental Shelf; (5) the rights and responsibilities of all States and, where appropriate, local governments, to preserve and protect their marine, human, and coastal environments through such means as 90

91 regulation of land, air, and water uses, of safety, and of related development and activity should be considered and recognized; and (6) operations in the outer Continental Shelf should be conducted in a safe manner by well-trained personnel using technology, precautions, and techniques sufficient to prevent or minimize the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstruction to other users of the waters or subsoil and seabed, or other occurrences which may cause damage to the environment or to property, or endanger life or health. (Aug. 7, 1953, ch. 345, sec. 3, 67 Stat. 462; Sept. 18, 1978, Pub. L. 95-372, title II, sec 202, 92 Stat. 634.) §1348. Oil and gas development and production (a) Utilization of Federal departments and agencies The Secretary, the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, and the Secretary of the Army shall enforce safety and environmental regulations promulgated pursuant to this subchapter. Each such Federal department may by agreement utilize, with or without reimbursement, the services, personnel, or facilities of other Federal departments and agencies for the enforcement of their respective regulations. (b) Duties of holders of lease or permit It shall be the duty of any holder of a lease or permit under this subchapter [to] (1) maintain all places of employment within the lease area or within the area covered by such permit in compliance with occupational safety and health standards and, in addition, free from recognized hazards to employees of the lease holder or permit holder of any contractor or subcontractor operating within such lease area or within the area covered by such permit on the outer Continental Shelf; (2) maintain all operations with such lease area or within the area covered by such permit in compliance with regulations intended to protect persons, property, and the environment on the outer Continental Shelf; and (3) allow prompt access, at the site of any operation subject to safety regulations, to any inspector, and to provide such documents and records which are pertinent to occupational or public health, safety, or environmental protection, as may be requested. (c) Onsite inspection of facilities The Secretary and the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall individually, or jointly if they so agree, promulgate regulations to provide for- (1) scheduled onsite inspection, at least once a year, of each facility on the outer Continental Shelf which is subject to any environmental or safety regulation promulgated pursuant to this subchapter, which inspection shall include all safety equipment designed to prevent or ameliorate blowouts, fires, spillages, or other major accidents; and (2) periodic onsite inspection without advance notice to the operator of such facility to assure compliance with such environmental or safety regulations.

92 (d) Investigation and report on major fires, oil spills, death, or serious injury (1) The Secretary or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall make an investigation and public report on each major fire and each major oil spillage occurring as a result of operations conducted pursuant to this subchapter, and may, in his discretion, make an investigation and report of lesser oil spillages in one instance of more than two hundred barrels of oil during a period of thirty days. All holders of leases or permits issued or maintained under this subchapter shall cooperate with the appropriate Secretary in the course of any such investigation. The Secretary or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall make an investigation and public report on any death or serious injury occurring as a result of operations conducted pursuant to this subchapter, and may, in his discretion, make an investigation and report of any injury. For purposes of this subsection, a serious injury is one resulting in substantial impairment of any bodily unit or function. All holders of leases or permits issued or maintained under this subchapter shall cooperate with the appropriate Secretary in the course of any such investigation. - (e) Review of allegations of violations The Secretary, or, in the case of occupational safety and health, the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, may review any allegation from any person of the existence of a violation of a safety regulation issued under this subchapter. (f) Summoning of witnesses and production of evidence In any investigation conducted pursuant to this section, the Secretary or the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall have power to summon witnesses and to require the production of books, papers, documents, or any other evidence shall be compelled by a similar process, as in the district courts of the United States. Such Secretary, or his designee, shall administer all necessary oaths to any witnesses summoned before such investigation. (g) Report to Congress of violations and action taken The Secretary shall, after consultation with the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, include in his annual report to the Congress required by section 1334 of this title the number of violations of safety regulations reported or alleged, any investigations undertaken, the results of such investigations, and the results of the diving studies conducted under section 1347(e) of this title. (Aug 7, 1953, ch. 345, sec. 22, as added Sept. 18, 1978, Pub. L. 95-372, title II, sec. 208, 92 Stat. 655.) §1351. Oil and gas development and production (a) Development and production plans; submission to Secretary; statement of facilities and operation; submission to Governors of affected States and local governments (1) Prior to development and production pursuant to an oil and gas lease issued after September 18, 1978, in any area of the outer Continental Shelf, other than the Gulf of Mexico, or issued or maintained prior to September 18, 1978, in any area of the outer Continental Shelf, other than the Gulf of Mexico, with respect to which no oil or gas has been discovered in paying quantities prior to September 18, 1978, the lessee shall submit

93 a development and production plan (hereinafter in this section referred to as a ~plan") to the Secretary, for approval pursuant to this section. (2) A plan shall be accompanied by a statement describing all facilities and operations, other than those on the outer Continental Shelf, proposed by the lessee and known by him (whether or not owned or operated by such lessee) which will be constructed or utilized in the development and production of oil or gas from the lease area, including the location and site of such facilities and operations, the land, labor, material, and energy requirements associated with such facilities and operations, and all environmental and safety safeguards to be implemented. (3) Except for any privileged or proprietary information (as such term is defined in regulations issued by the Secretary), the Secretary, within ten days after receipt of a plan and statement, shall (A) submit such plan and statement to the Governor of any affected State, and, upon request to the executive of any affected local government, and (B) make such plan and statement available to any appropriate interstate regional entity and the public. (c) Scope and contents of plan A plan may apply to more than one oil and gas lease, and shall set forth, in the degree of detail established by regulations issued by the Secretary - (1) the specific work to be performed; (2) a description of all facilities and operations located on the outer Continental Shelf which are proposed by the lessee or known by him (whether or not owned or operated by such lessee) to be directly related to the proposed development, including the location and size of such facilities and operations, and the land, labor. material. and energy requirements associated with such facilities and operations; (3) the environment safeguards to be implemented on the outer Continental Shelf and how such safeguards are to be implemented; (4) all safer standards to be met and how such standards are to be met; (5) an expected rate of development and production and a time schedule for performance; and (6) such other relevant information as the Secretary may by regulation require. all _ _ ~ ~ ~ J) Cancellation of lease on failure to submit plan or comply with approved plan Whenever the owner of any lease fails to submit a plan in accordance with regulations issued under this section, or fails to comply with an approved plan, the lease may be canceled in accordance with section 1334(c) and (d) of this title. Termination of a lease because of failure to comply with an approved plan, including required modifications or revisions, shall not entitle a lessee to any compensation.

Next: Appendix D: Data on PINCs and INCs »
Alternatives for Inspecting Outer Continental Shelf Operations Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $45.00
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

Aggressive, effective safety inspection programs are key elements to ensuring that oil- and gas-producing platform operations on the outer continental shelf are conducted in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Although the oil and gas leaseholders themselves are primarily responsible for the soundness of their operations, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the Department of the Interior is charged with prescribing safe practices and inspecting platforms. In response to an MMS request, this book examines possible revisions of MMS's inspection system, appraises inspection practices elsewhere—both in government and industry—assesses the advantages and disadvantages of alternative procedures, and recommends potentially more efficient practices aimed at increasing industry's awareness of its accountability for safety.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!