Doug Morris
Chief, Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs, Team Leader
As the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule regulatory team lead, Doug was responsible for coordinating the full spectrum of activities involved in the Rule review, ensuring that the required resources were available for the team members to complete the regulatory revisions. Relying on years of experience with BSEE regulations, Doug used his extensive knowledge to guide the team, assisting subject matter experts from BSEE’s regional offices to facilitate the regulatory process without sacrificing safety or environmental sustainability.
Doug is Chief of the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs for BSEE where he is responsible for developing and maintaining up-to-date regulations, policies, standards and guidelines. He ensures that best available and safest practices govern industry’s offshore operations nationwide and he maintains oversight of the bureau’s overall regulatory program.
James Fletcher
GoM Production Coordinator, District Operations Support, Lead Writer
As the technical lead on the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule revision team, James crafted language that clarified existing regulations, wrote new language to improve safety, and rewrote existing regulations to remove unnecessary burden. Throughout the rewrite process, he also organized working teams for 22 BSEE employees to review 17 industry standards that were considered for updating. As the technical lead of the team, his background knowledge and experience with the implementation of the 2016 Well Control Rule provided clarity and expertise.
James works as the Production Coordinator for the Gulf of Mexico Region in District Operations Support. He writes and manages policies for production operations which are used to ensure that regulations and policy are enforced consistently throughout the five BSEE Gulf of Mexico district offices.
Amy White
Petroleum Engineer, Lead Process Writer
As one of the lead rule writers for the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule Team, Amy helped review existing BSEE regulations to identify possible regulatory provisions for revision. She used her expertise with BSEE regulations and the regulatory process to help facilitate drafting, development, and publication of the rule. Amy worked closely with the subject matter experts from BSEE’s regional offices during the rulemaking process.
Amy works for the Regulations Development Section in the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs at BSEE headquarters. She specializes in the regulatory process and rule development, and ensures rulemakings are developed in compliance with applicable rulemaking procedures. She serves as a liaison between the different BSEE regions and headquarters related to certain rulemaking efforts. Her experience within the Department includes assessment, development, and promulgation of OCS regulations for oil and natural gas and for renewable energy. She has also been involved with industry standards development, developing regulatory guidance documents, and addressing regulatory implementation efforts.
Alton Payne, JD, PHD
Chief, Standards Development Section, Assistant Process/Preamble
Alton Payne is Chief of the BSEE Standards Development Section. Alton worked on developing the preamble to the revised Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule, while members of his staff summarized and analyzed the differences between the previous and updated editions of each industry standard considered for incorporation into the revised rule. The team then provided their analyses to the BSEE Gulf of Mexico Region for additional consideration by relevant subject matter experts.
Alton oversees a staff of six subject matter experts and works with more than ten Standard Development Organizations to develop industry standards for the offshore oil and gas industry. Alton previously served as a regulatory analyst, and prior to coming to BSEE worked as an attorney, educator, engineer, and physical scientist.
Joan Hall
Engineer – Pipeline Section, Assistant Content Writer
As the Assistant Content Writer for the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule revision, Joan provided support on the subsea safety systems and Safety and Pollution Prevention Equipment aspects of the rule. Having served on the team responsible for the Production Safety Systems rulemaking in 2011, she provides a critical layer of technical review and analysis of the updated industry standards proposed for incorporation.
Joan works an engineer in the Pipeline Section in the Gulf of Mexico Region. She is responsible for processing pipeline applications for the installation, modification, and/or decommissioning of pipelines in the Gulf. Joan has been an Engineer with BSEE for more than 10 years.
Michael Smith
Regulatory Analyst, Assistant Process Writer
As a regulatory analyst, Michael helped prepare the revised Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule for publication. His responsibilities have included drafting revisions to proposed rules and preparing written responses to comments submitted by industry and the public.
Michael works with the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs in Houston as a member of the Regulations and Standard Branch. He came to BSEE in 2016 after serving as a legal advisor to Chevron and an enforcement lawyer with the Texas Attorney General. In addition to analyzing regulations, he also examines Bankruptcy, Decommissioning, and Risk Reduction topics on behalf of BSEE.
Stephen P. Dessauer
Deputy Regional Supervisor, GOMR Regional Field Operations, Process
Stephen used his expertise and experience as a petroleum engineer to help draft, develop and revise the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule. Stephen has been involved with the Production Safety Systems Rule since its inception.
Stephen is the BSEE GOMR Deputy Regional Supervisor of Regional Field Operations and has worked for the past 16 years serving in many engineering roles in both Production Operations and Well Operations. Prior to moving to BSEE Regional Field Operations in 2017, he served as chief of the New Orleans District Production for 6 years.
Nikki Mason
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Regulations and Standards, Information Collection
As part of the regulatory team, Nikki assisted in the Oil and Gas Production Safety Systems Rule and used her expertise with BSEE regulations to facilitate the development of the Paperwork Reduction Act Statement required in rulemaking. Nikki worked closely with the team members.
Nikki works for the Regulations and Standards Branch in the Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs at BSEE headquarters. She specializes in the Paperwork Reduction Act and information collection process, and ensures rulemakings are developed in compliance with applicable procedures. Her experience within the Department includes assessment, development, and renewing the information collection requirements associated with OCS regulations for oil and natural gas.