Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) are formal documents that provide clarification, description, or interpretation of a regulation or OCS standard; provide guidelines on the implementation of a special lease stipulation or regional requirement; provide a better understanding of the scope and meaning of a regulation by explaining BSEE interpretation of a requirement; or transmit administrative information such as current telephone listings and a change in BSEE personnel or office address. Letters to Lessees and Operators (LTLs) and Information to Lessees and Operators (ITLs) are also formal documents that provide additional information and clarification, or interpretation of a regulation, OCS standard, or regional requirement, or provide a better understanding of the scope and meaning of a regulation by explaining BSEE interpretation of a requirement.
To view expired or superseded NTLs, select a different NTL status and select submit.
This NTL provides information on using BSEE’s electronic reporting system to report incidents, spills, and pipeline damage informationandspecifies the information that shouldbe included in the various required oral and written reports. In addition to providing general guidance applicable to all BSEE Regions, this NTL also provides guidance on requirements for reporting spills and incidents specific to the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
Incident and spill reporting requirements are found in BSEE regulations at30 CFR Part 250, Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf,and 30 CFR Part 254, Oil-Spill Response Requirements for Facilities Located Seaward of the Coast Line. Sections 250.186 –250.190 provide detailed information and reporting requirements
Reporting requirements related to pipeline repairs are located in 30 CFR Part 250, Subpart J. Pursuant to 30 CFR 250.1008(e), you must notify the BSEE Regional Supervisor before you repair a pipeline, or as soon as practicable, and submit payment of the service fee listed in 30 CFR 250.125.
Describes BSEE’s electronic reporting system for incidents, spills, and pipeline damage; states what information should be included in oral and written reports
Describes areas affected by hurricane Barry and clarifies what inspections, plans, and reports are needed for assessing known and potential damage to OCS facilities.
Active
General Requirements, Hurricane and Tropical Storm Effects Reports, Plans and Information
Clarifies definitions of Max Anticipated Surface Pressure for completion; how to handle a gas reservoir isolated by cement behind the production casing; describes when to use an oil gradient or gas gradient to calculate certain anticipated pressures prior to production
Active
Oil and Gas Drilling Operations, Oil and Gas Well Completion Operations, Well Operations and Equipment
Provides Guidance for use of well completion, well control & well intervention equipment, and trees and production equipment designed for high pressure/high temperature (HPHT) conditions
Active
Plans and Information, Well Operations and Equipment, Oil & Gas Production Safety Systems
Describes voluntary submissions pf plans and information prior to dates required by regulation, in order to aid BSEE's understanding of a DWOP, APD, or APM and thereby facilitate agency review of HPH well design, completion or intervention operations.
Active
General Requirements, Plans and Information, Well Operations and Equipment
Provides guidance for information needed to analyze alternate equipment requests for consider external hydrostatic pressure in the design and calculation of internal pressure containment capability of subsea equipment.
Active
General Requirements, Oil & Gas Production Safety Systems, Plans and Information, Platforms and Structures, Well Operations and Equipment
Clarifies guidance for requesting SOPs and SOOs as part of a demonstration of "commitment to production" when a project involves technology development (e.g., HPHT equipment) and how operators may justify exceptions to policy against granting suspensions for phased development.
Information and guidance to streamline the submittal and approval of other operational notices and requests or reports such as lease suspensions, royalty relief, SEMs plans and performance, pipeline ROWs, and production measurement verification data, but excluding incident, oil spill, and permits request notifications which are part of NTL 2018-02.
Information and guidance to streamline the submittal and approval process for Deepwater Operations Plans (DWOPs) and conceptual plans between BSEE and stakeholders representing lessees and operators. Includes electronic exchange of information in with BSEE in TIMS platform
Guidance on protection of personnel from effects of hydrogen sulfide gas, mitigation of property and environmental damage caused by H2S, and detection of H2S, and a collection of standards for compliance with gas monitoring and safety requirements.
Active
Oil & Gas Production Safety Systems, Plans and Information, Pollution Prevention and Control
Contact information during regular office hours an additional contact numbers for purpose of after-hours calls pertaining to incidents, oil spills or liquid pollutants or more than 1 barrel, a request to return a facility to service after shut-in or incident of non-compliance (INC), or a request for urgent flaring and venting.
Procedures for contacting BSEE regional office during and outside regular working hours regarding drilling or production activity, pipeline and structural issues, production measurements requests, and flaring and venting.
Superseded
General Requirements, Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of-Way, Plans and Information, Pollution Prevention and Control
Electronic submission of SEMS documents such as audit plans, audit reports, corrective action plans, performances measures data, and communications with BSEE regarding all submissions.
Active
Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS)
Identify ocean current data for planning, designing, and operating mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs), permanent floating production platforms, and their ancillary equipment (i.e., drilling risers, production risers, flowline and pipeline risers, tension leg platform (TLP) tendons, mooring systems). This data will allow BSEE to more accurately track loop currents and eddy currents.
Active
Plans and Information, Platforms and Structures, Well Operations and Equipment
New electronic collections methods available to lessees and operators for submitting information set out in BSEE-0131 form. Includes directions on how to obtain, complete, submit and report data.
Guidance on how to conduct inspections of fixed platforms, floating structures, moored MODUs, and pipelines and report surveys of damages, including a structural analysis for planned repairs.
Active
Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of-Way, Platforms and Structures
Guidance on how to conduct inspections of fixed platforms, floating structures, moored MODUs, and pipelines and report surveys of damages, including a structural analysis for planned repairs.
Active
Pipelines and Pipeline Rights-of-Way, Platforms and Structures
Clarifies how BSEE may require more detailed information from regulated entities for grants or assignments of Pipeline Rights-of-Way, and particularly for assignment to multiple grant holders .
On April 27, 2016, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) issued Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) No. 2016-N03, Reporting Requirements for Decommissioning Expenditures on the OCS, to provide guidance and clarification regarding regulatory requirements pertaining to the submission of certified decommissioning expenditure summaries following the permanent plugging of any well, removal of any platform or other facility, and clearance and verification of any site. BSEE amended its regulations addressing decommissioning expenditure reporting, effective December 16, 2016, by including requirements for the submittal of certified summaries of decommissioning expenditures for right-of-way (ROW) and lease term pipelines. The additional requirements concerning the submission of certified decommissioning expenditures summaries are found at 30 CFR 250.1704(i).1 As a practical matter, BSEE recognizes, and prefers, that the operator submit the required summary of decommissioning costs on behalf of the lessees, the owners of operating rights, or the pipeline ROW holders. The summaries must be submitted within 120 days after completion of each decommissioning activity.
Provides guidance and clarification regarding submission of certified decommissioning cost expenditure summaries following permanent plugging of any well, removal of any platform or other facility, clearance and verification of any site, and decommissioning of pipeline segments.
