WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) rolled out its BSEE!Safe initiative in May 2019, becoming the first regulator in the world to use a text messaging system to provide critical safety information directly to offshore workers. Since its launch, more than 44 safety alerts have been sent and as of September 17, 2020 over 6,800 people have subscribed to the service. To make the Outer Continental Shelf safer, in March 2020, BSEE offered its platform to the U.S. Coast Guard to communicate their Marine Safety Information Bulletins to the broadest possible audience.
“BSEE collaborates in many ways with the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure safe and environmentally sustainable offshore oil and natural gas operations,” said Scott Angelle, BSEE Director. “Extending an offer to the Coast Guard to share their safety information related to offshore facilities via our BSEE!Safe platform was a logical next step.”
Collaborating with the U.S. Coast Guard to maximize the distribution of safety alerts was the result of Angelle’s leadership and emphasis on driving safety performance and environmental stewardship improvements in offshore operations and is one of many ways the two agencies cooperate.
“The safety of all personnel who work offshore is my top priority,” said U.S. Coast Guard Eighth District OCS Commander Matthew Denning, Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection. “The BSEE!Safe text messaging system allows me the ability to pass critical safety messages directly to offshore workers in a timely manner, and I am very excited about continuing the collaborative relationship enjoyed between my office and BSEE to achieve our shared goals.”
In addition to sharing BSEE!Safe, BSEE conducts inspections, incident investigations, government initiated unannounced oil spill exercises and planning with participation from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Since Fiscal Year 2017, BSEE has conducted 115 joint inspections and investigations with U.S. Coast Guard. Of those, 91 were on production-related facilities and 24 were well operations related.
BSEE and the U.S. Coast Guard are also collaborating on a major, multi-year initiative to develop new planning materials and enhance existing offshore oil spill Area Contingency Plans for the Gulf of Mexico, California, and Alaska.
“All of America benefits when BSEE and the U.S. Coast Guard collaborate,” said Angelle. “We answer to the same stakeholders – the American people – and by collaborating, we deliver on BSEE’s promise to promote safe and environmentally sustainable offshore oil and natural gas operations.”
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is the lead federal agency charged with improving safety and ensuring environmental protection related to the offshore energy industry, primarily oil and natural gas, on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). BSEE is also responsible for ensuring facilities in State waters are maintaining response plans as required by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Under President Trump, BSEE is conducting more inspections, increasing the number of safety initiatives and ensuring more offshore oil and gas workers receive critical safety information.
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