WASHINGTON- In order to strengthen cooperation between the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector (ASEA), the directors of both agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday in Washington, D.C. Carlos de Regules, Executive Director of ASEA, explained that the document specifies various areas of cooperation related to the design and implementation of regulations for companies that develop offshore exploration and production projects, stating that priority should be given to the safety of people and environmental protection in both Mexico and the United States.
The signing took place in the context of a working meeting with the BSEE Director, Brian Salerno, where the two directors discussed issues that will strengthen the effectiveness of regulatory agencies on both sides of the Gulf of Mexico, such as: Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS), quality assurance and certification, incident investigation, and risk management.
During the meeting de Regules recalled that the collaboration occurs within the framework of (1) the implementation of the Mexico’s energy reforms, which will attract investments by $22 billion to Mexico, and the strategic goals of both countries to strengthen the regulation and (2) implementation of international best practices in this field. He stated that the Memorandum of Understanding continues the binational efforts and agreements between the Ministry of Environment of Mexico and the Department of the Interior of the United States, which seek to implement measures that will lead to sustainability and the protection of environmental resources.
Director Salerno said the cooperation between Mexico and the United States is a model that shows how two countries can share a bilateral resource. “The offshore oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico is extremely complex,” Director Salerno said, “but by working together BSEE and ASEA have been able to advance the causes of worker safety and environmental protection. Working with leaders like Executive Director de Regules, I feel confident we will be successful because we share the same goals.”
BSEE and ASEA maintain close cooperation both bilaterally and within the framework of the activities taking place in the International Regulators' Forum.