In a bid to increase efficient offshore energy operations, the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has implemented a new quality assurance process for reviewing and assessing its permitting systems. The new process seeks to reflect on permits issued by the agency and helps inform best practices for offshore energy permitting.
Namely, the new directive, issued by BSEE’s Office of Offshore Regulatory Programs, requires the agency to conduct periodic review and assessment of permitting processes for consistency, timeliness and efficiency across the various districts and regions within the agency.
This quality assurance process will be conducted by BSEE staff who will develop the assessment plans and conduct the assessments. These assessments will review permitting and also include in-person site visits to district or regional offices, as applicable. Scott Angelle, BSEE Director, said:
Taking these actions now will promote BSEE’s effective monitoring of permit processes and provide an avenue to progress towards overall improvements such as decreased processing delays.
In addition, earlier this month, BSEE announced it would increase the physical inspection time at offshore platforms, in an attempt to make inspections more efficient and reduce helicopter operating expenses, starting from 1 April. Recently, after several safety incidents involving cranes and lifting appliances, the US Coast Guard cooperated with the BSEE in a joint inspection campaign, focusing on crane material condition, operations, maintenance and safety management.
