I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5634 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 29, 2010 Mr. Inslee (for himself, Mr. Reichert, Mr. Young of Florida, and Mr. Holt) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to require that oil and gas drilling and production operations on the outer Continental Shelf must have in place the best available technology for blowout preventers and emergency shutoff equipment, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Offshore Drilling Safety Improvement Act.

2.

Emergency Shutoff Safety Requirements

(a)

Requirements

Section 21(b) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1347(b)) is amended— (1)by inserting (1) after (b); and (2)by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2)(A)The Secretary shall issue regulations that require, notwithstanding paragraph (1)— (i)that all oil and gas drilling and production operations on the outer Continental Shelf have safety and environmental management systems in place including blowout preventers and additional backup emergency shutoff equipment such as acoustic shut-off technology; and (ii)that such equipment use the best available and safest technologies. (B)In issuing regulations under this paragraph, the Secretary shall, based upon information provided by the Secretary of Energy pursuant to section 203(a)(12) of the Department of Energy Organization Act and other information available to the Secretary— (i)incorporate safety technology information from independent scientists and experts, academic institutions, and from technology used internationally; and (ii)consider the need for different technology requirements in different environments and depths. (C)Regulations issued under this paragraph— (i)shall apply to all new oil and gas drilling and production operations; and (ii)shall apply to all existing and gas drilling and production operations upon the expiration of the 6-month period beginning on the date of the issuance of the regulations. (D)Every 5 years after the date of the issuance of regulations under this paragraph, the Secretary shall— (i)review blowout preventer and emergency shutoff equipment technology; and (ii)revise the regulations as necessary to require use of the best available technology in accordance with this paragraph. . (b)

Deadline

The Secretary of the Interior shall issue regulations under the amendment made by subsection (a) by not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.

3.

Best available and safest technology

Section 203 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7133) is amended by adding at the end of subsection (a) the following new paragraph: (12)Offshore oil and gas exploration and production best available and safest technology identification, including— (A)surveying industry practices and regulatory requirements both domestically and internationally; (B)identifying technology currently in use as well as technology that is not in widespread use, but could be adopted for widespread use on a near-term basis; and (C)providing such information regarding the best available and safest technology to the Secretary of Interior in a timely fashion for use in the implementation of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. .