Published by: The Advocate
By: Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Director Scott A. Angelle
Why is the U.S. outer continental shelf so important? The short answer is that it provides our nation and our people with a wealth of benefit.
America has dominated the global oil and natural gas energy market since 2018, thanks to President Donald Trump’s direction to eliminate unnecessary regulatory burdens without sacrificing safety on the OCS. This has led not only to American energy independence but also to greater national and economic security. As the president put it: “Instead of relying on foreign oil and foreign energy, we are now relying on American energy and American workers like never before.”
Approximately 1 in 7, or 15%, of all oil produced in America comes from the OCS — and the vast majority of that oil is from the Gulf of Mexico.
OCS activity not only supports our nation’s energy security, it also promotes economic stability and growth through the contributions of offshore operators who pay production royalties, annual rentals, bonus bids on the leases, and inspection fees. These contributions from offshore oil and gas provide billions annually to the U.S. Treasury.
For America to continue to realize the many benefits of OCS production, offshore operations must be done safely and in an environmentally sustainable manner. Just as behind every flourishing garden there must be a good gardener, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement provides regulatory oversight and enforcement offshore.
BSEE, uniquely authorized to promote and enforce safety on the OCS, ensures that offshore workers experience the safest possible conditions, that the environment is protected, and that OCS resources are not wasted. It is only through this kind of safe production that America can continue benefiting from the OCS for generations to come.
To accomplish its safety goals, BSEE has taken enormous strides under the current administration to increase its presence on the OCS. BSEE inspections have increased by 46% over the past three years. In 2019, BSEE conducted 12,489 inspections, compared to 8,526 inspections in 2016.
Activity on the OCS — exploration, development, and production — begins with a well permit. BSEE uses the well permit as one of many tools to ensure operations are conducted in a safe and environmentally sustainable way from the start.
BSEE engineers, working with geologists, geophysicists, marine biologists, environmental scientists and archaeologists, review all permit applications to ensure that required safety standards and environmental safeguards are in place before granting any approvals.
BSEE approved 557 well permits between 2017 to 2019. Those permits launch an operator’s drilling activity, which, in turn, leads to production and culminates in economic activity. That’s good news for our rig operators and crew, and good news for our country.
Once production begins, BSEE inspectors ensure operations are conducted safely. We have made enormous tangible strides under the Trump Administration toward innovations and improvements through an internal change management initiative action plan, the goal of which was to equip the organization with strong, smart programs and practices.
Thanks to these changes, BSEE staff has modernized regulations and completed 112 safety initiatives and 60 environmental initiatives. This has contributed to BSEE’s ability to increase inspections by 46% in the past three years.
It is from this foundation of safety for workers and the environment that BSEE contributes to the OCS, which allows America to continue to see vast benefit from OCS energy activity.
It’s not only the large oil and natural gas operators who provide offshore energy production; it’s also the independent, mid-size and small operators with an important role in the nation’s offshore energy program. It is the men and women of America who wear the hard hats and steel-toed boots and set out to the OCS who do the hard work of fueling our nation.
Every American who relies on energy for daily life is connected to the OCS, and thanks to the jobs and revenue it brings to our nation, we can all realize a piece of the American dream.
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